Chibi Sized
by Zgirl001
Summary: The Lord and Lady of the West decided that their eldest son had to learn a lot. So they give him something to take care of. A human pet.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay! I do know that I shoudn't start on a new one without wrapping the old one up, but I was just strolling through some images of Inuyasha to grace my phone with a cute wallpaper and I happen to come across this adorable picture of baby inuyasha, my heart crawled up and I ended up crying promptly, hugging a pillow wishing it was the same baby cute silver haired fluff. I just had to get this out of my chest :)He is soooo cute and Sesshomaru too, obviously. 

So, let me know. :) Pwetty pleaase! 0_0 

Chapter 1 

"Papa, Ses'maru is mean." the two year old huffed, complained and bit his lip with his short but sharp fangs in an attempt to stop them from quivering. His large as stars, yellow topaz eyes glossed with unshed tears, the drops stagnated in its rim within the confines of his lashes, threatening to spill on the hard earth, his silver puppy ears were pressed to his head and his hands were fisted in the folds of his father's kimino, tugging them as hard as a two year old could, ripping the pristine fabric with his tiny claws in process. 

Inutaisho's heart swelled, his hanyou son was too tiny, almost looked breakable. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, silently willing to calm the nerves that had apparently gone frantic. The moon palace was always in a mess these days and the demon lord just wished for a moment of silence that could lull him in to a bliss. He was almost in the brick of banging his head in the brazen walls, so that he could faint. There would be that moment of peace he yearned for. 

"Well you know how Sesshomaru is. What did you do to bother him and make him all mean?" The Dog General indulged in a slow baby talk that always cracked up Inuyasha and riled up Sesshomaru. For the millionth time he wondered how different things would have been if Izayoi had managed to stay alive. His heart weighed down with an enormous guilt, the pregnancy took a toll on her and claimed her away from him after blessing the West with this smallest red and silver bundle of pure joy. Not that he didn't appreciate the help of his demon mate Inukimi, but the kids were quite handful, Inuyasha was a half demon who demanded all the attention to himself and Sesshomaru should accept the fact that it was okay to smile, a little. 

"I didn't do anything Papa" Inuyasha swore, but Inutaisho knew enough about his sons. Sesshomaru would have never acted all evil and dramatic without any serious provocation or lest bitten by Inuyasha, like last time. 

"Are you sure?" The Dog general pressed, hoping that his younger son would know when to be truthful and that his huge eyes that could melt anyone's cold heart wouldn't work on him. Who did he think invented that look? 

"Hunhm.." The toddler nodded and gave another try at his puppy look, he knew that his father would always fall for him when he makes his eyes all glimmering and teary. His ears came to life and swayed adding an awe factor to the issue. 

Inutaisho sighed again, his fingers drummed the hilt of his sword like he always does when he had to take important decisions. He could feel Sesshomaru's anger, raging and roaring all the way down to his massive room, sending warnings that the Lord would have loads to pay by end of the night to indemnify the damages caused by his elder son. 

' _I hope he doesn't hurt anyone seriously this time, or kill anyone'_ The father of two kids prayed silently, willing the Gods above to hear his thoughts. 

"Oh my dear mate, you look absolutely devastated" The Lady of the West waltzed, clad in mauve and purple silks, her fur trailing behind, her face impassive, with a small known smirk escaping. 

"Help me then" The lord huffed and crossed his arms over his massive chest, and looked vulnerable which was a total rarity in the eyes of his Lady. She strolled in, kissed his cheek and bent down to pick the hanyou son of her lord. She could guess the issue on hand and it didn't make her any merrier. 

"Lady!" Inuyasha exclaimed, trying to look imposing as his step mother was. But his face just looked somewhere in between the expressions that conveyed either he was in an extreme pain or the that he was trying desperately to control his pee, whenever he tried to look intimidating, trying to impersonate his step family. How hard is it to stare at something or someone without a curve in the lips? 

"Now Inuyasha, what did you do to make Sesshomaru angry?" She demanded, her authoritative voice always scared the little pup and he almost whimpered, self preservation swam and he decided to confess. 

"Um, I just touched his fur. But I didn't do anything else, I didn't even pull it!" His voice cracked and his ears twitched in guilt. There, he confessed what he had done, but honestly the little pup didn't even understand the fault in his actions. He understood his doings last time when he had bitten his brother's ear, and this time all he had done is to touch the large mass of fur that trailed along with his brother. _Not_ that he was jealous of that stupid thing, he was just curious. The grownups are always grumpy. He hated it. 

"Hn, and what have I told you before?" The disciplinarian of the house asked, her voice didn't falter nor was it imposed with any gibberish baby words. She was the Lady of the house and she acted like one. 

"Not to touch anything that belongs to Ses'mru" He pouted and looked down, purring a small whine. Now he understood his mistake, but he was bored and he badly wanted to touch it. 

Isn't that a valid reason? 

"Good. So you won't repeat that would you?" She asked, her brows no longer furrowed and she didn't look scary in the eyes of Inuyasha anymore. 

"No" He promised, his little fingers crossed behind his back and Inutaisho sighed again. 

"Inuyasha..." He trailed, his voice had a boom and the kid fidgeted on hearing his father's angry tone. But he was bored. Can't they see that he was just trying to play with his brother? 

' _Grown ups are stupid'_ he decided and uncrossed his fingers. 

"Go on, little pup, go play with the human kid" Inukimi permitted and he ran across the hall to play with his best friend. It's not that often he got permission to visit the quarters of ministers. He couldn't wait to tell Miroku that he had touched Ses'mru's fur. 

"Human kid?" Inutaisho questioned when his youngest had practically fled with over joy. It wouldn't come as a big surprise if he heard squeals now. 

"Yes my mate. Your senior council's head's son" She answered, her eyes already had a calculating gaze and the demon lord knew that his ever brilliant Queen had a plan in her scheming brain. His heart almost thudded. It's not that he didn't trust Inukimi with Inuyasha but he knew that the lady of west was not in good terms with Izayoi, but that surely didn't mean that she would hurt the little pup. Hurting the hanyou was below her and the dog demon knew that she would never harm a defenceless kid. 

"Hn, so what's the plan Inukimi?" He asked, preparing to brace his heart and all the while silently commanded his frantic nerves to stay calm, again. He decided that he should get himself checked with the Royal House's doctor. 

"Hn, you know me so well, my mate" She allowed a minuscule smile and he almost felt guilty that he had thought she was scheming a master plan. She was first and foremost a mother at heart and he had seen that she treated both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha at par. 

"Now, I wouldn't have been a great demon if I didn't know what's going on in your mind, my mate. Would I?" His lips arched and his smile was almost infectious that the lady had a tug in her lips. How could she stay mad at her mate when he gets that entire innocent look well mastered? It was the biggest gossip on the regions of west when she had accepted agreed to share the palace with her mate's little human. 

How could she not when his golden gaze had drilled in to her, with guilt and love and a promise of lifetime happiness. Her heart had swelled up with emotions that she wanted to purge, but he had managed to swirl it up and so she had given her nod. The female human seemed harmless with a four month old pup in her. It was pity that she didn't live long enough to see the mischievous ordeals of her son. She didn't shed even a tear on the human's demise but her heart wept when she saw the pup's face, all lost and searching for his 'mama'. 

"I was just thinking that Sesshomaru is being a little serious...in everything. His expressions are almost always static, don't you think?" She asked. Her mate gave her a look that had managed to convey ' _Gee, I wonder from whom he got that expression'_. 

She cleared her throat and averted her gaze. 

"Well, you can't blame me. I was all upset that you had gone to the human and I had to come up with a facade to answer our subjects" She mentioned and Inutaisho sighed, again for what seemed to be hundredth time in a matter of one hour. The evening hour had commenced with a slight change in the air. She walked towards the open balcony to drown in the golden beam of light that almost rivalled with the family's legacy of eye colour. 

"So. What do you suggest we do now, my beautiful Lady?" The Lord asked; his tone soft and his eyes gleaming with pride when she stood there so tall and strong. 

"Sesshomaru needs to learn the importance of allies, be it a human or a demon. He should know to share and seeing Inuyasha remains him that you were not there when he needed you. We should get him a pet" She concluded and the Lord of the west's heart stilled, guilt evidently consuming him, her words lingered in the rim of his ears, mocking him, bringing him down. His lungs inhaled a much needed air and he nodded with her conclusion. He was ready to make amends, he didn't regret even a minute spending with Izayoi, but he had overseen the needs of his mate and pup. 

"Pet?" He asked. 

"Human pet" 

"What?" His musings came to an end. His brow arched at his mate's conclusion. Having human pets were common in the demon world as long as the sires of the human had accepted for it. It was no longer a contract that was frowned upon and it didn't rile up any enmity between the humans and the demons. 

"He should own someone, someone who is not foreign to weakness and vulnerability. He should learn that compassion doesn't form a part of weakness. He should know how Inuyasha thinks and for that he should own a human pet" She explained. Her eyes never left his and Inutaisho felt the seriousness in her voice. He had never before doubted Inukimi's decision and he didn't want to start doubting now. 

"But, what if-" He paused, unable to complete his sentence. His hesitation made a point to the Lady and she nodded with an equivalent understanding. Her son was a mess, she had unknowingly contributed to his coldness and she knew he had to rectify it, to make him smile again that had once warmed her heart. 

"Let's hope that he doesn't hurt or kill the pet" She had finished what he had started. They both shared a look that calmed their nerves. His claws trailed across her markings adorning her cheek, her finger curled the edges of his impeccable silver hair. 

They know they will be fine. Tomorrow would always be a better day than today. 

~.~.~ 

The five year old had enough of this nonsense. He paced within the walls of the bronze corridor that was lit up with dancing flames on the either side of the narrow passage. He knew that his _half_ brother would have by now complained to their father that he had kicked Inuyasha. It wasn't his fault; the half demon just doesn't cease irritating him. Sometimes Sesshomaru wondered whether the Gods had created Inuyasha just to make his life difficult. He even drew a plan of scrimmage on his white sheets on how to just rip of the brat's annoying ears that keeps twitching. 

"Stupid half brother" He muttered and his steps slowed down, his rage coming down along with his pace. He could hear the steps of his sire and he braced himself for a round of scolding. 

' _This is so not worth it'_ he decided and mounted the half fence to jump in to the garden below. The roses would be destroyed and his mother would curse and send him to his room but anything is better than to take up the blame for kicking his brother. 

"Sesshomaru" His father had called him before he could perch. 

' _Crap!'_

"Father" He straightened and bowed down, his head inclined, giving the due respect as he has learned in the etiquette class. 

Inutaisho frowned, he didn't want to spend the evening with his son as a formal meet. He moved further, kneeled down and gathered his eldest pup in his arms. 

"Father, I'm not as young as Inuyasha for you to cuddle me" Sesshomaru had stated. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the warm hugs from his sire. It was just, he was a grownup and he didn't need the physical act of reassurance. 

The Lord's chest ached when he noticed how his son was matured already, acting more than his age. His brows furrowed further, small lines streaked across his mark-less forehead. 

"Sesshomaru, you are my son and I don't care even if you are a century old, I would hug you when I feel like giving my son a hug" The Dog general had declared. Sesshomaru looked at his father, his face was too serious and static, and gave a nod as if acknowledging his lord's explanation. 

"Are you free for the evening Sesshomaru? I need you to accompany me somewhere" The lord asked and he could see that his son was giving him a calculating gaze. 

' _Gods he takes in more after his mother'_ His brain accused and whined. The lord cleared his throat as if the act would clear his thoughts. 

"Yes Father, I would accompany you" Sesshomaru decided and Inutaisho allowed a tiny smirk to grace his lips. 

"Where are we going?" 

"To get you someone" 

"Someone? Like a servant, a maid?" The young dog had asked, his pace trying to match his fathers, his recently rescued fur from certain someone's claws, trailing along like a regal cape. 

"No, you will have to wait and see" He answered. Inukimi had already selected a pet for their son, an orphan girl of three years old. He was told that the girl was a personification of adorableness and the lord just couldn't wait to see his son's reaction. 

He was told that the girl's name was Kagome. 

~.~.~.~ 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The walk to the destined area was so short and it would have taken less than a minute if they had actually flown. But much to the young Sesshomaru's displeasure, his father wanted to spend some 'quality time' with him. He had been intrigued and his childhood memories screamed that he had never heard of those words ever before. He had accurately decided that it must be a human term and his shoulders went rigid instantly. The quality time strangely involved stuttering words and the young heir was in peak of amazement when he had witnessed the great lord demon who had been an epitome of justice, who had sentenced many with a roar and a straight face, hadn't completed even a single sentence without hesitation.

They had reached the place that was discussed and Sesshomaru had to retain, curtail and annihilate his curiosity that was bubbling inside his chest with mastered patience.

' _Maybe they can finally get a wizard that can make Inuyasha disappear',_ His logic mind reasoned out and his curiosity multiplied instead, his bravado was shaking and he almost, just almost cracked a smile that could be measured in a well minuscule range.

"Father, where are we?" His tone had a silent assessment of the surroundings, his nose sniffed, catching a non familiar scent tainting the air along with that of his mother's. His brows furrowed and his fur bristled a little, his young half moon looked even darker under the evening fire that was lit across the ancient room.

"Mother" His head was already inclined with due respect, a bow for the Lady of the west. She gave a nod as an acknowledgement; her hands were fidgeting with the rich beads around her nape. Sesshomaru just couldn't understand why his parents were anxious. It was too tangible and it didn't sit well on the shoulders of the young dog demon.

"My son, I hope your day was well?" She asked, clearing her throat, her eyes desperately trying to find some freckle of emotions in his otherwise frozen face. His eyes narrowed, and her heart floated. He was angry and it was still considered as an emotion even though it wasn't the one she expected. Maybe a little sarcastic look would have made her day all the more merrier.

"Yes mother, it was fine"

Her sigh caressed Inutaisho's pointed ears, travelled through the veins, swam in his rushing blood and knocked a fist in his brain. His guilt boiled up and his nerves were in tight knot.

"Sesshomaru, since you have been such a great kid, we have decided that you deserve a gift.." Inutaisho trailed, his nostrils already sniffing for any sign of excitement from his heir. He wasn't displeased.

' _Inuyasha is gonna be sent off! They don't need another kid if I had been good!'_ His face betrayed him, a tiny quirk escaped, the edges of his lips lifted with the smallest of smile. The sire's heart was instantly light, almost floating with the air, as if a choke had been lifted off.

"My son, we have decided to give you a pet" He finished.

The five year old's face dropped with a start. He was sure his ear wasn't working right.

' _Stupid Inuyasha bit my ear really hard last week'_

"But I already have Ah-Un" He stated the obvious; maybe his parents just forgot the little fire cracking demon in the dungeons. He honestly did not mind their forgetful brains though. He just wondered how lucky he must get so that their memory cells would promptly forget the existence of certain hanyou.

"This is a human pet, her name is Kagome" Inukimi moved aside, her cape and fur followed her, revealing a toothy grinning child with midnight black hair framing her chubby face. Her face broke in to the biggest smile Sesshomaru had ever seen. Much bigger than Inuyasha's stupid grin every time their father came in the room.

She gurgled up, eager to meet the new strange people who looked almost the same. Her pudgy legs decided to run fast, taking two steps at a time, her small hands itching to touch the silver haired people. She promptly fell down in all four limbs, near the pointed shoes of the smaller one among the three who was still taller than her by many inches.

She looked up, giggled at the startled expression of the moon marked boy. She sneezed all of a sudden and the boy's face turned in to that of a panic. She giggled again. The boy looked so funny. She wondered if his cheek streak would go if she tries rubbing them off.

Sesshomaru couldn't even begin to define the toothy giggler. She had no sense of discipline, no etiquette and had zero sense of balance. Her power level was puny, her focus was laughable and he just couldn't understand what was so funny that made her make weird laughing and snorting sounds.

"Up" She raised her hands above hoping that the moon boy would lift her from her knees and kiss her booboo away.

There was a thick layer of panic oozing out of Sesshomaru.

' _Run, kill. No just run. No idiot, father is watching so just kill the kid that is trying to attack'_ His internal debate ceased and his decision was made. Before he could initiate the green whip from his palms, she was carried by his father.

"No, my son! She is your pet. You need to handle her with care." The demon lord explained, cooing at the little girl child who defined fragile and here he had thought that Inuyasha was tiny. She weighted like feather and for the hundredth time he wondered whether it was wise to give such a bundle of smiles to his son. Her grin was too infectious and the lord couldn't help but to beam and soak in the warmth emitted by the walking toddler.

He had decided that she would make his son glow with happiness from the deepest, hidden folds of his heart.

"Kagome" The lady called. The little girl was too cosy in the crook of the big man with soft fur wrapping his arms, that she almost dozed off to play with Mickey Mouse again.

"Hunhm" She nodded, her bangs were half way covering her huge onyx orb, brushing ever so slightly the little ebony lashes.

"This is Sesshomaru" She pointed her clawed finger at the moon marked boy. Her ears had caught the name and her tongue folded and danced to repeat under the confines of her mouth.

"Ses-o-maaaruu" She said, her eyes going all big (as if it could get any bigger), her tiny palm clapped at her successful imitation of the name. She beamed with pride when the big man nodded with an appreciating smile.

"Yes, very good! He is your master" The tall lady in satin and silk had announced. The little human girl looked up at her _master_ again, he was looking deep in to her, a bored expression was imprinted on his face and she couldn't stop wondering on how the indigo moon would feel under her finger tips. She suddenly wanted to touch the white fluffy thing that seemed like a big round teddy tugged in to his arm.

"Teddy" She yelled and leaped from the demon's hand only to slip and fall down again. Her vision blurred and she could count the stars that were dancing around her head. She giggled again when the said stars popped out in to thin air and crawled further to touch the white mass. Her _pjs_ were slippery and there were almost two failed attempts by the time she reached the desired place.

Her hands took in the fur and it was _so_ soft, softer than her stuffed Mr. Tobo that was killed in the oven fire. Her master suddenly shifted, pulling the _teddy_ along with him. She looked up and was met with an open mouth expression of him.

"Ses-o-maaaru is funny" She declared, clapped and giggled until her cheeks hurt.

The said person who was being currently a laughable subject to a three year old was insulted. This was some kind of human incarnation of his worst nightmare and he badly wanted to wake up before this nonsense could go any further.

A blink or two later the young demon had concluded that he was not asleep and that this was all real. Three blinks later he had come to a aching decision that his parents hated him and had subjected him to this misery.

He looked up with hurt painted on his visage. His sire smiled at him, his wise eyes twinkling with an uncontrollable delight. His mother perused him with her scrutiny gaze.

"If you are not willing to.." She started and a small grain of hope was planted on his chest.

' _Yes, please let's all just go home and forget this unfortunate ridiculous day'_ his thoughts waved in his head.

"..we can always gift her to Inuyasha" She finished.

He was startled for what seemed like fifth time in few hours. His eyes narrowed with a built up determination. He averted his gaze from his mother to land on the pet. She was still giggling and smiling. He could see that she was something special, otherwise his parents wouldn't expend out their time on her. So he decided that she must be of a rare treasure.

And anything of rare and special should belong to him and him only. Definitely not to Inuyasha!

"No, she is mine" He had declared his sentence. His little claws graced the skin of his little pet, lifted her up and trailed her along towards his room.

The Lord and lady smiled. Their plan had worked and they hoped with all their hearts that things would go better than what they schemed out.

 _~.~.~_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sesshomaru's head was pounding with intense pain and he regretted his actions of bringing along the little human who gave the word 'fiasco' an altogether new, higher meaning. That was mistake number one.

The mistake number two was that, he was too busy cursing under his breath, muttering profanities (that would cause him trouble if his mother ever heard him utter) and wondering how he should train the human child, he had failed to rely on his senses only to bump in to Inuyasha in the long narrow corridors bordered with marble alcoves. Never had he let his guard down and the very thought that he had missed Inuyasha's smell was enough for the eldest to frown even more.

Mistake number three was that he had thought it was below him to flee the scene with his new pet and stood firmly even when Inuyasha peeked behind him to glance at the giggling maniac.

Mistake number four was what was happening right now. His hold on her wrist was not strong enough because honestly he didn't think she would leap away from his claws. On seeing the hanyou clad in red and silver, she had yelled "PUPPY!" on top of her lungs and leapt at Inuyasha's twitching ears.

The half brother of his had been startled, dumb folded and it should have made Sesshomaru to roll down with roaring laughter on seeing the expression painted on his brother's face but strangely he was more concerned with the tiny silver claw that may scratch _his_ pet. Father had told she was fragile and he didn't want to be the one to break his pet in just one day.

The little girl was totally oblivious to the danger around her and had decided that she wanted to squeeze the tiny furry cone shaped ear on the head of the cute small silver puppy with golden eyes. She giggled and dived at her target; the puppy whined and moved back. She pouted and made a mad dash for the clothed target.

And hence the maddening crazy fiasco!

Here he was, standing in his all tall mighty glory and there were two toddlers with no sense whatsoever running around him, yelling and giggling like the world out there is their very own play ground, completely ignoring him, the future lord. Inuyasha had braced his heart; he howled, whined and ran across the room in concentric circles, yelling, to escape the clutches of a mad creature with a missing tooth. He yelped when she almost touched his clawed foot and so she righteously tripped.

Huge tears of saltiness assaulted the sensitive nostrils of two demons. Her eyes were impossibly large, glossy, filled with tears, dripping down, leaving a trail in her chubby cheeks and a huge sob started. Sesshomaru had never been this helpless. He was tired, frustrated and the saline tainting the air was killing his sensory nerves. He added this to the never ending list that he maintained as reasons to kill Inuyasha in the near future (as if he needs any reason to do the rightful and grant the universe a sense of much needed solace).

But most of all, there was a small churning in the depth of his navel on seeing his little pet shedding tears who had been smiling like an idiot a moment ago, his hands fisted in a tight knot and he wanted to pound Inuyasha badly on his ridiculously laughable fluffy appendage sticking in his stupid head, which was the whole cause of her non smiling scenario.

"Inuyasha" He called in his monotonous tone. The hanyou was almost touching the crying girl, crouching on the floor, desperate to make her stop the drips from the wet eyes. He looked at his brother who was scary as hell now, so he pouted, hoping he would be forgiven.

A wave of guilt prodded Sesshomaru and he felt right in knowing that his little brother at least had a mind to feel tints of remorse.

"Sess'mru, what is this?" He had the audacity to point at _his_ pet and ask a dumb question.

' _Couldn't he see that the now crying creature is a human? Oh, he has a brain of a homefly!'_ he thought (he had meant Mioga, he hated that flee demon too).

"She is _my_ pet and I would send you to the gates of hell if you don't make her stop the tears" Sesshomaru had said, his voice never faltered and his golden eyes never left his brother's. He witnessed a streak of freight inhibiting his brother's visage and he almost felt content.

There, that felt enormously right.

If his pet wanted to rip his brother's ears, then she shall do so.

Inuyasha was desperate. So he didn't think twice like his teachers repeated everyday in his morning lessons. He crawled next to his brother's pet, nudged the little crying girl in her shoulder. When she didn't respond, he grew a little bolder and tugged her sleeves. He promptly tore it.

"Eeep" he made a weird sound that made the girl to stop her tears. She looked at him so closely, her gaze averted back to her master and then to Inuyasha and she kept doing it until she got dizzy. After few moments of silence she giggled pointing at Inuyasha.

"Puppy?" She had asked and the brothers stared at her, not knowing what to reply.

The frantic hanyou who had committed more crime than the allowed quota for the day nodded at her and smiled, hoping she wouldn't cry again until he was safely tucked in the confines of his bed with his blanky on his side, inside his room with at least ten bolts.

She clapped again and raised her arms forward, asking for what seemed like a permission to pet his ears. His puppy ears flattened when it sensed the oncoming threat. He heard a growl from Sess'mru and his self preservation came alive, because honestly he felt that bleeding ears were much better than poisonous whips decorating him in permanent burnt tattoos. He nodded subtly at the grinning girl and so she jumped further, merrily to pet him.

His eyes closed with an expected pain to follow. Never in his limited existence had he thought that he would purr. She was delighted and clutched his forelocks, pulling him down to look in his happy face. His eyes were lidded heavily and she tickled him with her tiny fingers. Her feather light touches made him laugh, roll down and beam with a sudden drenched happiness.

Sesshomaru was speechless to see his kid brother to roll over and play with her, and he had definitely not expected him to purr like a stray mongrel, and the whole 'aww and woo and cooo' had to just end. This had to stop! Right now! Because, firstly she was _his_ pet and secondly, well secondly he had said so.

So with enough determination that he had gladly inherited from his Lady and Lord, Sesshomaru stepped in and caught her wrist as softly as possible and tugged her back towards him. She wobbled up, giggled and fell rightly on his chest.

There. She was his and his alone. Inuyasha can get his own pet.

"Sess'mru, can I play with your pet, she smells good" Inuyasha had asked with his golden eyes wide and big.

"No! She is mine. Now leave" He had given his sentence and moved.

"Bye Puppy" Kagome peeked over his chest, somewhere under the confines of his silver streaks and waved her tiny hands to Inuyasha who stood there with a big whining pout on his face.

' _I'll ask Papa for a pet'_ he decided, sneered at Sess'mru's back and stuck his tongue out.

"Are you mocking me?" Sesshomaru stopped right on his tracks (he knew that Inuyasha would display something childish, without even having to look back). Before the elder heir could turn and stare at Inuyasha, there was ruffle of clothes and the hanyou had fled.

Kagome Giggled.

"Stop that" Sesshomaru ordered.

She giggled more.

Either she was a complete lunatic having a death wish or she had a bone to disagree with him. He thought he would let it go this once and marched towards his room, his hands full. By the time they had reached the confines of his well lit brazen room, the five year old had fetched few towels, made a make shift bed, admired his handy work and dumped his little pet in that.

"I want to pee" She whined and he prayed to the heavens above that she was all potty trained and not a stinking disaster like Inuyasha. For once the Gods were on his side.

After the night rituals that strangely involved splashing water at Sesshomaru at least twice. (The young lord was tired and he didn't want to explain his mother why he had killed his new pet, because the very thought was exhausting) He pushed her through her small pillows in the towels and floor. She sat there while he crawled up in to his huge bed.

Apparently the human just didn't know when to sleep and so she had tried climbing the huge bed, slipped, tangled in satin bedspread and fell back. She blinked and tried again. After five more tries, Sesshomaru was plain irritated and rose up under the heavy blankets.

"What?"

"Teddy?" She pointed at his fur.

"No"

"Pwease?" She whined.

"No"

"Okay Ses-o-maaaruu"

For the millionth time, Sesshomaru wondered why his sire gave him a ridiculous name and a ridiculous creature as a pet. When the sleep had finally taken mercy on him and lulled in to its lap, the human had climbed her way up to the bed.

"Ha, Teddy!" She shouted and Sesshomaru slapped his head. After few wresting, stares and whines, he gave up and allowed her to touch his damn fur. The girl was just far too stubborn.

"Sleep" He ordered.

She yawned and closed her eyes with a smile. He held her tight under his arms, his fur pelting her, his nose buried deep in her raven tress, sniffing at the wonder snuggling with him.

' _Inuyasha was right. She smells good_.'

Two young ones slept with curves edged in their lips as the night covered them both in its arms, petting them until they finally succumbed in to the realm of tranquilly and bliss.

~.~.~


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"And he said no to you?"

Miroku had asked the hanyou why he was grumpy and cranky all morning, sulking in the dark corners of the castle, giving a pouted look for an hour and then a sneering look to everyone else who ignored his whiney eyes.

"Yeah" The 'lost pup' look was back in Inuyasha's face; his lips curved upside down, a single overgrown fang peeking from his seams, his fuzzy silver brow almost went down, touching his lashes. In short the look he had manoeuvred so brilliantly was something that would bring even the great mighty lords to the knee and gather the small pup in their arms.

How the Western Lord had managed to say his answer in negative was something that went beyond the four year old human kid's head.

' _Thank god he didn't ask his father to have me as his pet'_ Miroku silently offered his thanks to the Gods above who were blessing him with good fortunes.

"But Papa promised that I could have my own pet if I didn't break anything in castle for umm one year. Hey Mir'ku how long is one year? ", the hanyou asked with oozing eagerness shimmering in his large eyes.

"Um, It's a long time" Miroku answered, blushing a little when he realised he forgot the number of months in a year.

"Longer than a um hmm fortnight?" Inuyasha asked with a gleaming pride that he had used a difficult word. The number of days in a fortnight was something that the Hanyou had swiftly forgot. But that's a completely different story.

"Uh, yeah"

"Oh, do you think Sess'mru would allow me to play with her?" Inuyasha asked for the tenth time that morning. His index finger with clawed tip kept drumming his chin, giving everyone with eyes a view that Inuyasha is actually 'thinking'.

"Hmm, maybe we can play with her when he goes to his morning classes?" Miroku twitched his lips when his eyes sparkled brightly, proud of his amazing brilliance. Inuyasha seemed to share the same look and grinned like a mad creature that was promised a delicious treat.

One thing was absolutely certain to all the maids who had shamelessly eavesdropped to the plan formed by the two kids, the day is going to be epic, with half the castle destroyed, followed by roars and shouts and one hell of a cleaning job.

"Sweet merciful God" One of the servants muttered, with a sigh as he went to inform his family that he wouldn't be available for the dinner.

~.~.~

"What do you mean?" The Lord hissed when he was safely within the confines of his office. He had asked his minister to do a little research work about the human pet he had given to his eldest. He had paid rather a large sum of money to the authorities for the little kid and he was just curious about the history.

"No one had ever seen the kid or her family before. She had just answered that her name was Kagome. She was found in one of the human village, crying under a tree." His minister had told.

Inutaisho had smelled mystery and secrecy in the short legend of the pet. Frowns and worry lines had a free rein over his face and his twisted the strands that flowed from his high pony tail. He shifted his gaze back to his faithful minister whose eyes were weary from a sorrow well hidden. The great lord's own heart cringed, he knew that the system of human pets were still a sore spot for the human minister. Even Izayoi was against it, she kept saying that the very system is twisted and is degrading.

"Miyatsu, I know this is something that you don't approve of-" Inutaisho trailed, hoping that his hesitation would put his minister a little out of his misery.

"My lord, I totally understand." Miyatsu said with a slight bow and a nod he excused himself out of the lord's office.

Inutaisho sat down in his plush chair, his thoughts already working on the unyielding history of the little girl. His internal debate was seriously disturbed when he felt a loath and a high rage bleeding from Sesshomaru's aura.

"Oh for the love of-" He didn't get to complete his sentence. There was a bang, yell and boom echoing in the halls of palace.

"INUYASHA!" The lord roared and emerged from his office towards the eastern wing of his now chaos flooded palace.

~.~.~

It was not the usual morning. Sesshomaru had not woken up like always when the golden grains in Sun's rays had prodded his sleeping lids. No, there was some kind of lump on his fur, neck, on his hair, and he realised that the said lump was just all over him. He had promptly opened his eyes to find that his vision was currently blocked with ebony streaks. He blew out the strand in a confused dazed. After a blink he had bolted up in a realised alarm and his dozing pet was sent across his huge fluffy bed.

She woke up with a small yawn after two bounces on the bed, stretched her palms and legs, looked around in a daze and righteously giggled.

"Sess-o-maaaru" She shrieked and crawled in a blinding speed to give him a tight hug that almost sent the young demon to lie back in the bed.

She giggled again and rubbed her small palm on the twin magenta marks that bordered his cheeks.

He hissed and there was another giggle.

He rose up, straightened his new pet, took a breath or two to calm his pounding blood and itching palm. He ran a claw through his morning hair and smirked when he had his pet's undying attention on him.

"Okay, listen to me very carefully" The five year old instructed the human with a pointed finger, He waited for few seconds, assessing whether he would be getting any response from her. She gave a quick nod and a smile and so he continued before she could think that it would be okay to giggle again.

"Rule number one, you shall refer to me as 'master'" He told, his finger pointing at his chest. She stared at his lone finger, she tilted her head and her mouth formed a small 'o'. Her eyes gleamed with understanding, she clapped.

"Sess-o-maaaru" She yelled, grinning happily.

"No, call me master"

"Sess-o-maaaru"

"No, 'Mas-ter'" He stressed in the syllables, hoping she would refer to him with his right title. Her head tilted again. Her lips opened in the same way as before.

"Sess-o-maaaru" She declared. He sighed.

"Fine, how about 'Lord'?" He tried once more. She shook her head and called his name as always. He exhaled the stored up air in his lungs and shook the final sediments of sleep from his dizzy mind. She followed him around and he had to order a servant to give her a proper bath and morning food. By the time he washed up himself, cleaned his fangs, fluffed his fur, he was already late by a minute to his daily classes.

Before he could exit his abode's hallway, he heard a familiar 'aww and coo' from his sleeping room, so he had taken a turn to witness the happenings. The human friend of his half brother had pulled his pet's hair, she had shrieked and punched him right on his nose.

Inuyasha's ears were once again targeted and he had purred. When she had giggled and brought him out of the trance, Inuyasha thought he could play with her ears and pulled it.

How was he supposed to know that his claw would break her ridiculously thin skin of her ear loop? How was he supposed to know that she would cry like a dying harpy?

"Sess-o-maaarrru!" She had yelled and kicked and cried. Inuyasha didn't even have to turn back. He knew his life time was shortened greatly, he knew he would never get his own pet because he would be sleeping in his grave, even when he had wiped the little red drops of her blood from his claws, he knew that Sesshomaru would hunt him down and feed his inner organs to an hawk or an eagle and he knew that not even his father, the great Lord of West, can save him this time.

Never will he again listen to the stupid ideas of Miroku, he pledged.

"Uh-oh!" He uttered, there was a loud green whip, shattering of bricks, a deafening shriek from a shivering Miroku and finally a shout of his name from the lips of his father.

Yup, he was gonna be one dead puppy!

~.~.~

A/N : Thank you for lovely reviews ! It made my dayyy! :) And sorry for the short chapter!

:(


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

She was scared, terrified, petrified to the core only few minutes ago and now she kept singing a ridiculous strange poetry on how the stars in the sky are twinkling like diamonds. Inutaisho and Sesshomaru shared a look of perplexity before they shifted their gaze back to the singing girl.

Sesshomaru had seen red when Inuyasha had uttered what could have been defined as last words of desperation. His green whip had spewed from his inner palm to smack at that annoying twitching ear to deliver a dramatic last blow (Sesshomaru always had a thing for theatrics). He decided he would save a small 'wah-pah' for the shivering human child whom he recognised to be the son of his father's minister.

"Sessh-o-maaaru! No, Puppy!" She had cried and crawled in, shielding his damn half brother from the blow, her eyes had turned all glittery and misty; her face was red on seeing the epic final battle that would have ended Inuyasha's pitiful existence.

Sesshomaru had stopped in right time and called back his powers, his father had rushed from the mountain of bricks that had broken, and his mother had walked in, her face calm, stoic even after seeing everything.

"Sesshomaru, were you planning to kill your brother for harming your pet?" Inukimi had asked when seconds rolled by and when Inuyasha finally confirmed that it was actually okay to let out the breath he was holding.

"I didn't harm her" Inuyasha had whined, his ears already matted to his skull. He was currently hiding behind the pet, who was safely tucked behind his father's fur.

"Yes you did, and I didn't plan on killing him" Sesshomaru confessed. He actually didn't plan at all; he had acted in the spur of the moment, deciding to give an impending whip to the second heir of his father and then he had actually felt his father's aura prodding him, so he had decided he would just severely impair the hanyou, but then he had made the mistake of seeing his pet's eyes, who looked frightened and turned in to an human armour to save her damn _puppy_.

So in short, he hadn't planned to kill the hanyou. He had never lied before and he didn't plan on starting today. He had just manipulated the truth which has a totally different meaning from lying. His father raised an eyebrow and Sesshomaru visibly flinched. His pet had called him 'scary Sessh-o-maaaru' and cried.

And now, after the maddening ordeal, ear screeching cry from the little human creature pet who was awed at for having the world's largest lung capacity (she had cried for several continuous minute without an intake of breath) Kaede, the royal doctor had arrived, 'shh-ed' the crying girl and was tending to her wound. Strong antiseptic smells floated around in the room and Inuyasha kept sneezing and the Kagome had promptly thought it was funnier to count the sneezes.

"Inuyasha, what have I told you?" Inukimi asked, he eyes narrowing at the toddler demon who was still red in face from all the sneezing.

"Not to eat without washing my claws!" He answered looking proud.

"Idiot" Miroku had muttered under his breath but the demon family are known for their senses and so they all agreed to the condition of sanity declared by the kid.

"No, the other thing that I have told you!" Inukimi wasn't amused; at the most she pitied the hanyou child who had not inherited the good brains of her mate.

"To never eat worms from the gardens?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, his claw scratched his head in an attempt to think why his step mother was asking about the worms. He hadn't eaten any worms after he had got caught one fine evening.

"No! The other thing!" Inukimi and Inutaisho yelled in an unusual tone of voice (It wasn't that unusual for Inutaisho!)

"Oh! To never touch anything that belonged to Ses'mru" He finally said, his chest puffed out in pride for getting the correct answer.

"And why did you touch what was his?" Inutaisho asked, his brows formed a deep 'V'.

"B'coz you told me I won't be having a pet for a year and Mir'ku told that a year is longer than a fortnight and I didn't want to wait that long. Aaachoo!" He finished with a big sneeze.

"TWENTY!" Kagome yelled and clapped.

"Aye, it has been tended, the bleeding had stopped and the cut isn't that deep. Her bandages would be removed after two days, make sure it doesn't get wet" Kaede said, washing her hands in a presented bowl of water. She gave a small pat on the child's back.

"She is one brave child" Kaede said and the eldest son of Inutaisho almost smiled. Even thought he totally didn't approve her action of stupidity that had stripped away his dream of existing in the world sans Inuyasha, she had delivered the spirit of loyalty and braveness.

"I'm brave!" Kagome repeated and clapped.

"You are stupid" Sesshomaru declared.

"No, I'm brave Sess-o-maaaru" She said, folding her hands across her chest and giving him a narrowed look.

"And stupid" He added. Kagome huffed and puffed, pouted and tugged the fur of Inutaisho. The great lord demon raised his brow at her.

"Sess-o-maaaru is a meanie!" She complained.

"Yeah! He is a bully!" Inuyasha had sided tactfully with her and she beamed at her puppy who crawled near her.

"Get away from her!" Sesshomaru said, his voice was painfully scary and Inuyasha stuck his tongue out. He had figured that as long as he was near the pet, his brother wouldn't kill him. He tilted his chin high, folded his hands across his chest, imitating her stance. There. He wasn't that stupid like everyone seems to believe.

"Inuyasha.." Miroku whispered with a desperate plea in his voice. He couldn't believe that Inuyasha was pushing his stupid luck. The hanyou had zero level of diplomacy and is completely oblivious to the term of 'flee away when no one is looking'.

Inuyasha pouted again when he saw the annoyed look given to him by his family and his best friend. All he had done was touch her and she started crying. It really wasn't his fault and it hurt his tender heart that no one actually believed him.

He sneezed.

"Twenty one!"

"I said get away from her!" Sesshomaru stressed again, his voice had the same manifested death threat as always.

"Fine, you can have your stupid pet!" Inuyasha stuck his tongue again and crawled near his father.

"She isn't stupid. You are" Sesshomaru answered back, his eyes strongly sending specks of threats towards the hanyou.

"No, you are!"

"No-" The eldest started answering back and he was duly stopped with a stare from his mother.

"Papa, can I get a pet too?" Inuyasha asked his father with a big smile pasted on his face.

"No, Inuyasha, my terms are still the same" The Dog general answered back, his fingers pressing the bridge of his nose, praying to the almighty to bless him with much needed patience.

"But Papa.." Inuyasha whined.

"No" Inukimi answered this time. Inuyasha pouted, his ears twitched and his claw itched his head. His gaze swam across the crowded room and rested on one person. His smile widened.

"PAPA!" He shouted happily and his grin widened like that of a maniac. Inutaisho sighed and planned to go on a long vacation without his kids. Maybe he could just take his kids along with him and lose them on purpose in some dense forest. No one would blame him, right? But no, he would be left without an heir and Inukimi would probably murder him and paint the palace with his blood. He had recently learnt that red was her favourite colour and so he wilfully cleared the tempting thought of accidentally losing his sons.

"What?"

"Can Mir'ku be my pet?" He asked and the human kid promptly fainted.

~.~

Thanks for the reviews! You people are the best!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

He blinked.

Sesshomaru had never in his wildest dreams and nightmares (living with Inuyasha gave him loads) have heard a question of this kind. This was simply the fate deciding to mess with him because the Gods above were utterly bored and were in need of a jester to crack them up. That was the only explanation! He has been officially employed as Court Jester of Heaven without even accepting the terms and conditions. Yup, that's the only logic explanation for the situation he has been encased with.

He blinked again.

"What?" He asked, just in case his brain had thought it was funny to hear a self made stupid question.

"Can Puppy sleep with us?" She asked again, her eyes never left his and her voice didn't quiver and she behaved as if it was a completely reasonable question.

Well, it was not a reasonable question, according to the eldest of Lord's heir's.

"No!" He roared and turned back with a whoosh. He always suspected that she was utterly lunatic and this just confirmed it.

' _I mean, who in the right mind would find the stupid hanyou's ears cute?'_ His brain resonated. She was delusional and his parents have given him the worst gift ever. They might as well give him a green toad as a companion! (Oh, he will be getting one in the near future!)

"Pweese?" She asked, her pigtails dancing along with her head and lately he just wanted to keep pulling them. He had learnt that she hated being pulled by her hair because she had bit his fur after that. Anyways, it proved his point exactly; Inuyasha already has a bad influence on her. (He was baffled to the core when she had bit his fur; it really was one hell of a pain). He should have never let Inuyasha near her.

It was almost a week after his father had painfully rejected Inuyasha's desperate plea for having that human kid as a pet. But that didn't put a stop to Inuyasha's 'Play with Kagome when Sesshomaru is absent' plan. It just got messier each day.

Sesshomaru wasn't stupid. He could sniff out the hanyou's scent all over his room whenever he came back after the lessons. So the next day he had decided to take her with him to his daily lessons. He immediately regretted it when the wolf demon had licked her hand. Whoever thought that it was a fantastic idea to give out lessons to all the royal kids in and around the palace must be fed to his dragon. It nerved Sesshomaru that he was actually okay with Inuyasha playing with her rather than the wolf prince licking her hand.

He visibly flinched and the stupid girl had giggled.

He had decided that he should spare out at least an hour per day to teach her that giggling is something that should be done when a situation is hilarious and not when the scenario is utterly ridiculous. Maybe he could convince her that it's actually unnecessary and then she would stop the whole giggling nonsense. He is yet to wrap his mind on this whole thing; the very concept of that sound is rather unsettling. At times in night he used to stare at her and wonder the whole purpose of the act.

His mother had pointed out that it must be boring for her to stay locked inside his room all alone. She had given a subtle hint that maybe it's okay to let Inuyasha play with Kagome. So he had given a sigh that had conveyed his reluctance and Inuyasha had promptly mastered a smug look on his face when he was allowed the access to Sesshomaru's room.

And also she seemed happy every time Sesshomaru entered the room after his morning lessons; she instantly leaves Inuyasha and run towards him (the pout from Inuyasha was worth all this and it was the perfect payback for that smug look. Hah!). He didn't know she was about to give a hug when she came running towards him the first time, and he had thought they both had schemed out to attack him, but there was this new tiny voice inside him that seemed to shout at him out of nowhere to not unleash the poison from his palm.

For the first time in his existence, he had listened to that new voice inside him. It turned out to be true when she had crashed in to his chest and hugged him, giggling, yelling all the while in an annoying voice, 'Sess-o-maaaru is back!'

It wasn't that head breaking-ly annoying after two three days. It almost became a little enduring, it _wasn't_ as if it was the favourite time of his day and surely he _hadn't_ started to look forward for that mad-dash-hug-welcome. That and the silent cuddling that she demanded every night. He _had_ to cuddle. It wasn't as if wanted to snuggle.

So even though he had rolled his eye and shrugged off the fact that Inuyasha was playing with _his_ pet, allowing him to sleep and cuddle next to him in _his_ bed was something Sesshomaru wouldn't do even if it was needed for his very existence and survival. He would rather roll over and die.

"No" he had said again. She had huffed, lifted her chin and crossed her arms across her chest. He knew that look, it meant that she was gonna give a fit and hold her breath until he panics and give in. Well, tough luck, he wouldn't give in this time. His determination formed a new cape round him, and he imitated her stance, almost challenging her.

Little did he know that the young girl would have the same mind power, she was equally determined and walked across the room, tumbling down twice. He had to stop from cracking a smile when he wobbled again. She reached the door and his eyes narrowed.

"Where are you going? Get back here!" He ordered and his command was nothing more than a small voice in her ears. She crossed the door frame and turned towards Inuyasha's room.

"I'm going to sleep with Puppy" She declared and strolled further. His breath was knocked off, his eyes stared hard and his small palm fisted.

"Then you can no longer have teddy" He had said in last minute desperation. It wasn't exactly an act of pathetic desperation. It was just a war tactic, using the advantage to lure the subject.

"I want teddy and puppy" She pouted, her lips quivered and a small whiny whimper was let out from her small frame. His heart immediately clenched and he hated the power she had over him. It's a good thing that she was still not hundred percent as manipulative as Inuyasha. Maybe he could somehow convince his father that it would be wise to leave Inuyasha in forest so that he could have his early wildlife lessons, and the eagle demons in the forest would find his hanyou brother delicious and..

' _Ahem_ 'his inner voice coughed out to divert the thoughts.

Anyways, he was still right in his decision, serious association with his half brother would bring in plain disaster and he actually didn't want his pet to be corrupted in to the evil realm.

"No, you get only one" He said, his eyes were closed and his back was turned, he no longer trusted his facial expressions and definitely he didn't want her to see his face falling if she happen to chose her _puppy_.

' _Oh gear up. She is just a stupid human girl and you know her only for a week'_ He cursed; he hated his new voice inside his mind. He had made up his mind, she would no longer be a significant part of his life, not that she actually was now!

Ticks clicked and there was a drop of perspiration rolling down, almost drenching his silver strands in the back, his palm itched and he could almost sniff out the anxiety in the air that was spewing out of his little pet.

"Sess-o-maaaru" She crawled back in, and tugged the ends of his fabric. There was a swell in his chest when she gripped his fur tightly in her hands and rubbed against her cheek. She smiled widely and it was strangely infectious. His lips quirked up a bit and his fang peeked out. She giggled and leapt on him.

Maybe the giggling wasn't that unsettling as he thought it would be.

Unknown to the two kids who were currently involved in pillow fights and construction of blanket tents, a pair of golden eyes were spying on them, masking his scent. Inutaisho's heart drummed with delight, he was worried that this whole thing would lead to a big disaster. It gave him hope and a small smile edged his lips.

' _Maybe Sesshomaru isn't that emotionally constipated'_ His logic cells gave out and the edging smile grew across the length of his fangs.

Once again he looked towards the abyss above, smiled at the blessing stars and thanked the benevolent moon that had bestowed good fortunes on its palace.

~.~.~

A/N: I know it's fluffy! But Sesshomaru is still a child and he can't possibly be that cold! Maybe something happened in his early years that made his heart a stone!

I will try to get him in character though!

And thanks for the sweet reviews.

Love you guys!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

His eyes were well trained to trace any sort of uneventful mayhem even in the darkest of hours and Sesshomaru didn't even have to use his senses to know that Inuyasha was out there in the confines of thick forest, trailing towards the stone carved cave palace of the wolf pack. Normally, the eldest heir would shrug off and not bother about the whereabouts of the hanyou, well, he would be bothered but he wouldn't care if Inuyasha got all lost. (He did care, but that was _only_ because he gets to tattle him out to his mother and watch him quiver with freight).

But this time it was different because, out there in the woods, where the lurking devilish demons feast, Inuyasha was strolling along with _his_ pet. Sesshomaru perched on the railings to leap across the night's abyss. He cursed the palace guards who had nodded off even before the moon could sink in its sky cushion. The Lord and lady of the west were currently in a business meeting and so Sesshomaru knew that he wouldn't be caught for sneaking out.

He knew that Inuyasha wasn't that senseless and thick to whisk away Kagome, Sesshomaru could very well acknowledge for the sudden protective side of his half brother. After six months of spending enough time with _his_ pet in _his_ room, Inuyasha had learnt well enough that even the smallest of tears from her eye would doom his existence. So, it was next to obvious that the little human pet had coaxed him in to taking her. She had grown rather fond of her puppy, and even during those nights where there was no moon emitting rays of silver, the darkness painted the hanyou's tress in to black streaks, Kagome had **not** shrieked and ran off from Inuyasha, she had clapped in such a zest and declared loudly that it was 'magic'!.

"Shh!" Sesshomaru's ears picked up the light hush of his brother, an order to stop her titter and he rolled his eyes wondering when the hanyou would actually learn to mind his surroundings. The eldest had already spotted the two running from tree to tree and Inuyasha was yet to acknowledge the presence of him. It annoyed him to the core that he was ignored like a harmless insect.

"Inu-sha, you shh!" She directed back and her annoyance towards Inuyasha brought a small smile to Sesshomaru, almost purging his earlier irritation.

"Stupid" The half demon sneered and hushed her back when there was a definite ruffle in the bush nearby. He crouched in an instant, tested the air and visibly relaxed.

"You are the one who is stupid Inuyasha" The eldest heir of the West said when he stepped aside from the shrubs.

"Sess-o-maaarruu" Kagome giggled and clapped, earning a small whine from the hanyou beside her. His shoulders drooped and braced his heart for the oncoming tirade of curses and poison lashes.

"Explain" Sesshomaru said, his eyes were already on his pet examining for any visible wound or marks. There was a scratch on her palm, nothing that would leave a scar behind, but his nostrils flared and Inuyasha tensed.

"She was clumsy and she fell" He protested taking an unintentional step back from the brother who looked too wild even in the dim light of the moon and whose eyes visibly narrowed in its slit.

"Sess-o-maaarruu, shhhh! Puppy and me waiting for Miroku" Kagome grinned and informed her master, successfully saving the youngest from a painful death. A sigh of relief drifted through the zephyr and an impious snicker followed from Inuyasha as a short celebration of his small victory.

"Why?" Sesshomaru questioned, his sharp ears picking the slightest of sound, his iris glowed with equal mischief, and he crouched low to join the intriguing plan. If the drafted plan turns out to be one that oozes dullness then he is always here to ornate it in to something even more ameliorate.

"Kouga came by today morning and pulled Kagome's hair and called her a crying baby" Inuyasha gave a statement as fast as he could; his arms were crossed across his chest and held his face high as if the night out has been properly justified. He knew his brother well and this would only mean Kouga would finally stop breathing. He wanted to howl in zest but held in when Sess'mru's fur bristled in the ends.

"He did what?" The eldest sneered and pulled his pet closer to inspect any other scar that he had casually missed out during his inspection. His claws were already out and caustic to dig in the flesh of the wolf brat who had dared to put his palms on his pet. He had returned from the hunt trip only in the noon and he had failed to protect what was his. The fact killed him, his chest ached and all he wanted was to put the filthy wolf in its place.

"Sess-o-maaaru, Inu-sha is lying. Kouga pulled puppy's hair and called him a cry baby" Kagome said, her toothless grin was back on her face and another small whine flew from the half opened mouth of Inuyasha, his eyes almost saw the destruction of his once formidable plan.

' _Stupid girl with stupid mouth'_ He cursed and closed his eyes yet again for the upcoming doom. Now He won't even have time to edit his final will in to not giving the toy train truck to the stupid girl and to replace the beneficiary with Miroku's name.

"And you dare to lie in front of this Sesshomaru?" The five year old asked, his patience running alarmingly thin, almost to the range of non existence. The crime rate of his little brother was sky rocketing, with the guts to trail his pet in to the forest and to lie to him were among the top. His pent up anger towards the mangy wolf was now coherently directed towards his half sibling.

The silver cones that had taken up the function of ears of the hanyou drooped, hiding in the mass of silver tress, his lips were upturned and his eyes were glossy with a will to melt even the strongest of alloys in to a yielding liquid.

"Sess-o-maaaru, Shh! We have a plan!" Kagome was excited, as if all this hiding and whispering were a part of a play she had once seen long back. Her belly was already filled with sneaked out candies that they had whisked away from the kitchen shelf and she gave 'hyper' a whole new meaning. She had caught Inuyasha crawling next to the large balcony, in a stance to pounce away from the palace. It was almost a rational move on her part to jump on her dearest puppy, coax him, threaten him, and to cajole him to take her to wherever he was running away to and now her Sess-o-maaarru was ruining it by talking out loud.

"What plan?" The five and a half years old tried desperately to obscure the excitement that he shared. The little waver in his voice betrayed him and his pet almost instantly giggled at the change of the situation.

"Mir'ku's mom had this powder that con- con- uugh, con-ceals the smell of humans from us and it gives us an itch in the nose. So we planned to rub it in the pillows of Kouga. Mir'ku poured it on himself and he promised he will run in and pour it on Kouga's pillow too" The hanyou explained his brilliant plan. Honestly, it was Miroku who came up with the plan when Inuyasha had spent the evening whining about the rude stupid smelly wolf who had called him a cry baby.

"The human's conceal powder? It doesn't make him invisible, it will just mask his scent, you idiot. What if he gets caught by the wolf pack?" Sesshomaru hissed; his place as a rightful alpha for the little group that always welcomed chaos kicked in and his mind started wielding out possibilities, marking them in to a column of what is advantageous and what is not. Even if the human kid gets caught, the wolf pack will be at lost since they would be sneezing their lungs out the minute they get a whiff of that powder.

"The Wolf king is in the hall with the Lord. I saw him talking with him" His pet pooled in her bit, her eyes were still shining even when the cold breeze were harsh on her fragile form. Her hair was in a mess, with twigs and dried leaf sticking in to the tangled locks. Even if they manage to return back to the castle safe, Sesshomaru knew that he had to come up with a proper reasoning to his mother about the condition of Kagome's skin and hair.

There were sounds of twigs breaking and the eldest of trio held his breath. His eyes detected the oncoming mirage of the human kid and he definitely didn't want to whiff out the blasted powder that would have him huffing all the night.

Apparently the youngest just didn't inherit the brain cells of his father. He had inhaled a lungful the moment his ears had picked the lightest of the deleterious sound with an alacrity that would have made the dog family proud if it had been any other situation. The hanyou rolled down, his eyes watered, his lungs burnt and he sneezed, coughed, whimpered among the dust of the earth.

Deep down in the forest there were exasperated howls and sneezes of wolf pack raining down. Miroku bumped in to the trio waiting for him behind the bushes, promptly falling back with a force that would result in a bruise by morning. Sesshomaru closed his watering eyes for a moment, his breath was still locked in his chest, but the bump with the human kid had caused his eyes to water.

After what seemed like a prolonged tumult, Sesshomaru opened his eyes, his pupils narrowed to clear away the despondent vision in front of him. The howls of the wolf pack were still strong and his chest swelled up a little in a triumph that his brother had got his first revenge. But something was seriously amiss, his brother still had a whining look with saline filled eyes, the human kid was soothing his aching bum from the fall.

Sesshomaru rubbed his eyes, his eyesight was in a blur and he still refused to inhale the poisoned ether. His little palm fisted and he rubbed his eyes once more to clear away the mist. The familiar and ever present giggle was missing from the close group of his being. His fur bristled, his claws were out and he crouched a little.

"Kagome!" He called out once his brain detected the missing figure. His senses were dull, his nostrils burnt when he tried testing the air to sense her scent.

"KAGOME!" He shouted out loud and frantic; his blood boiled, his palms were fisted in a tight knot that turned his knuckles white and the cringe in his chest was all the more deep, hallowing the abyss even more. She was missing; his pet was not in his side as she used to be. The waft was left without the floating titters of his little human pet, there wasn't a single tatter of her presence. His ears failed to recognise the last of whimpers of his now frightened half brother.

All he could see was red, anger and danger.

And so for the first time, he transformed.

~.~.~.~.~

A/N : Uh-oh!

My humble apologies for late update and many thanks to the lovely reviews!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The roar tore the sky, shook the earth and ripped the air. The growl was brimming with misery, with anguish and the trees pelted the forest shedding the leaves as a token of grief. The howl silenced the night in to a lamenting graveyard and the castle trembled with remains of bitterness.

It was an hour after the transformation, it was an hour after the human pet vanished in to thin air in the middle of the forest, it was an hour after the great Lord's rush out from a political alliance to witness the awing transformation of his son and it was an hour after which the whole of West was ordered for a search of the little human girl.

Even Inutaisho was unable to detect her scent. Sesshomaru was in a state where no amount of coaxing would make him transform to his humanoid state. Inuyasha was sneezing, no longer from the powder, but from an hour of whimpers and tears. Inukimi had to restrain herself from lashing out at the guards who had failed to guard the chibis in the first place. Miyatsu had taken back Miroku to his room when the poor kid had almost turned blue from cold and fright.

"Sesshomaru, stop it right now!" Inukimi ordered, her fangs gritting against each other, her claws were clinging on the huge mass of silver fur of her son's tail. Her heart was pounding; she never thought he would get this attached towards a human girl who was with him for just six months. The situation was never depicted, it was never prophesied and each passing second only brought multi-folds of miseries. Her only aim was to tame him a little so that he would be in a state to empathize the citizens when he takes over the crown, but never did she realise that he would get even more formidable.

"NO!" There was the same roar again form Sesshomaru, the one fuelled with sorrow and anger. His vision was blurred and all he could do was to blame Inuyasha who had taken her out to the forest in the first place. There was another booming roar and a series of barks that no longer made any sense to anyone. It took solid two hours of convincing for Sesshomaru to change back in to his two legged self.

The eyes that were well versed in giving a cold stare were now terrified in fear. The narrow slits turned in to a large orb of spilling gold, almost as big as Inuyasha's . The Lord and the Lady of the West were in their knees trying to cajole him to sleep. But Sesshomaru was too shaken to hear any words of endearment from his parents. His ears were strained trying to reach out to even a slightest tingle of his pet's breath in the ether. His lungs were maxed out from inhaling rapidly, to detect her sweet aroma, but all he could get was the wet scent of forest and saltiness from his half brother's tears.

Sesshomaru refused to cry out like a whimpering baby. He refused to allow the saline waters to brim over his eye's rim, his arms ached, his legs were begging to hit the ground to have a good rest but the child demon refused to give in, refused to cave in. He wouldn't rest until his fingers could feel the tangles of her ebony hair, he wouldn't sleep until his ears could bleed from hearing her stupid giggles again. He vowed to the heavens above in a howl that he would destroy everything in sight if she isn't in his arms when he is done with this maddening search.

The Lord was weighed down and his brain couldn't help but point out that this should have been done by someone who hated humans and who would rather see her own son in agony than being in close wraps with a human girl. His heart clenched and he lowered his head in guilt when he realised that he doubted his own mate over this fiasco. It was she who first suggested such an idea and there would be no ways in hell that she would even do such an act. She was the Lady of the West and she had such an honour that would never allow her to bend down to a lower act

Inukimi's eyes met the calculating gaze of her mate and her anger spiced up when she understood the intent behind his stare. Her eyes narrowed in to a threatening slit that seemed sharper than her own claws. Her heart clenched when the reality sunk in, when she saw through the accusation that was perched in his eyes. What more does he need? It was true that she despised the woman her mate had bedded with, but she loved the son the woman bore. Wasn't that enough proof that she was the Lady of the West who would never kill someone innocent? Was she being portrayed as an evil witch who would shatter the happiness of her own son?

She smirked when she smelt the guilt being oozed out from the Lord's pores. Her eyes turned cold and she gave him a stare that would have set him in fire if looks could indeed kill.

In the midst of all the chaos, Inutaisho straightened a bit when his sharp ears picked up soft foot steps against the lush palace grass. His eyes searched for the intruder, his nostrils flared when it was a human scent. His elder son turned sharply, trying to look in the darkest of night with a tiny hope dancing on his lightened tawny iris.

"Who are you human?" Inukimi asked, her voice was filled with the needed authority and she stood her place as the Lady of the castle would. The Lord's heart swelled up a bit in pride when he spotted his mate tall and strong, shining radiantly under the kiss of the moon.

"My greetings! I'm a miko and I'm here to clear out the confusion that has been encased upon all of you." She said and her attire was blended in colours of red and white, her hair was tied loosely near her nape, her shoulders were bearing a dozen of arrows and an old bow.

"And what do they call you Miko?" Inutaisho asked, his eyes were hard for an instant and turned warm when he failed to detect any malicious intention from her scent. Her eyes were dark raven and she had a stoic look that told him that she is here for her said work and nothing more.

"I'm called as Kikiyo. I travel from the South, my path was altered when there was a shift in the time realm"

"Time realm?" Miyatsu asked when he rejoined the gathered group in time to hear the introduction of the priestess.

"Some would call it a paradox, but the only information that you need to know is that the human girl who you ordered a search for doesn't exist in this timeline. Her stepping in this time zone had sent the dimensions for a toss. The implication was disastrous that it was necessary for the Gods to step in, to restore the loss and to put everything back in its own place."

"To put Kagome back in her own time" Miyastu finished the unspoken conclusion. He could see the smallest of dilution in Sesshomaru's eyes. The Lord and the Lady didn't know how far their eldest understood but then could only see the light from his eyes fade away in grains. They knew that he realised he would never be able to see his ever chatting pet again.

"Is there anything that can be done, any exception that can be used to bring back the human child?" Inukimi questioned.

"There is nothing that can be done. It was a knot tied by the heavens and it would never come unfold" The priestess said, turning back to continue her journey. Her work here was finished and she had matters to attend to back at her place.

"Kik-yo?" She heard a small child calling out to her, tugging the ends of her fabric. Her eyes looked down to witness a chibi hanyou clad in red. His tears looked as if it would never get dried, his lips quivered and the small silver cones in his head was well buried under the silver silk, afraid to come out and hear the world that was now in loss of a giggle that he had come to adore.

"Pweese, bring back Kagome. Pweese. You can take all my toys" He said, his hands were raised to swear his heart to the deal that he had optioned to the priestess. The young priestess's breath faltered when she took in the mess and the heart break the young child had faced. Her warm heart went out to the little hanyou who looked absolutely tattered and butchered. She bent down to carry him in her arms and brought him close to her chest. She couldn't help but feel as if there was a strong connection to the hanyou in her previous birth. She felt indebted on seeing his tear stained face, she felt heavy on seeing his pleading eyes that looked like a molten jewel under the whispers of the silver light.

Her iris swayed away, only to land on a matching pair. The full demon child was lost, his frame shuddered and his tiny palm was fisted. The child was bleeding from a broken heart, his claws had ripped the tender skin of his inner palm and he hasn't even noticed that his hands bled and remained fisted.

"Is there anything that can be done miko?" Inutaisho repeated his mate's previous question. It wasn't late when the priestess realised with a surprise that the whole family _needed_ the young human girl of different realm. The West _wanted their_ human to return to their abode.

Sesshomaru could feel a warm tingle in his heart. It was _Hope_ and it frightened him with enough intensity when he realised that he could never let go of his pet. He needed her; he wanted her to follow him around. He wanted her to annoy him to the core; he wanted her to demand his fur as her bed and he wanted her to want him back.

"There is one thing that can be done" Kikiyo said and she felt her attire being gripped tightly by the small child in her arms. She could see the love for the human child in the eyes of the hanyou and her wavering determination to help the Lady and the Lord of the West only grew stronger.

The air seemed lighter now, bathed in the breaths of hope and light, the miko announced that she would be able to bring back the human child, happiness had a free reign over the West and everything was perfect for a moment.

"But, the person from the other realm must be willing to let go of their time, there must be a strong will and desire to return to this continuum. Only when the desire to live in this zone is more, the person can be brought back by my spell". Kikiyo said and looked hard in to the depth of the golden eyes of Sesshomaru. She could feel the intensity and the determination through the fire in his eyes, as if assuring her without any intended words that _his_ Kagome would return back to him even without the slightest of hesitation.

"She cannot sleep without Ses'mru. She will come. I'm her puppy" Inuyasha announced happily, his palm fisted and pumped in the air. His heart raced and the saddening curve in his lips turned out in to a full grin. He could finally see the dawn and it meant that Sess'mru wouldn't kill him for bringing out Kagome in the first place. It wasn't his fault and the remorse from his chest lifted when it was too clear that the Gods were the ones who had take her away.

"It's not that easy as it seems to be" Kikiyo announced, hating the rider she was going to place that would most likely shatter their hope.

"What is it?" She heard the elder of the children asking her. It was the first time that he had spoken to her and Kikiyo could already tell that his adoration to the lost girl was more and any unfortunate turn out would render him in to a missile.

"Shifts and travels through the time is complex. At times, it would result in memory loss. From what I have gathered from your subjects, she was here only for half of the year. Her memories of living here wouldn't be that deep and there are chances that she would never remember anything from this realm. If she fails to remember her life here, there won't be any desire to live in this zone"

The words were sharper than any poisonous whip, his shin gave up and his knees hit the ground. His fur curled up around him, as if securing him, as if promising him the barest of warmth. But his little heart thudded inside his chest, as if willing to explode, as if breaking in to thousand shards if his pet confirms that she has no memories of him.

The tiniest of saline drop crept over from the confines of his lashes as if abiding the laws of gravity, the drop rolled down over the swell of his face leaving a trail behind.

"She will not forget me" He said.

He promised to himself that she would come back to him, she would never him, her master. He knew it. His glossy eyes shimmered under the glow of the night. His throat swallowed back the threatening tears. He wouldn't cry. He would see her soon, he would be able to pull her pigtails soon and when she comes back to him, he was gonna chain her to him and would say "There! Now the Gods wouldn't take you back to anywhere"

"I know she will come" He said and finally gave in, his lids closed succumbing to the welcoming embrace of cold and darkness.

~.~.~.~

A/N : My poor Sesshy! And cheers to Inuyasha's big heart for his promise to give all his toys.

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! Love you all! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Silence was indeed deafening. The usual crispy whispers from the leaves were missing, even the slightest of howls from the winds refused to increase its notch to another level. The hollowness crept in and resided in the ether. The strange smells of melting candles in the shrine seemed to irritate Inuyasha's nostrils. But the toddler was matured enough to bite his tongue and hold his complaints at the bay. The golden rays of summer shine peaked through the woven cottons drapes, a circle beam of light danced on the wall of the temple and the hanyou quickly learned the art of shadow puppets. The dawn was born but the night's heaviness on them weren't lifted. _Yet!_

Sesshomaru was stirred from his black out few hours before entering the shrine and crouched down at such celerity when he sensed something foreign. He immediately knew that they have crossed the borders of the West, as his home land lacked anything remotely related to holiness. His golden orbs had an ornate of red veins criss-crossing under his lashes. His royal marking itched and he just wanted to snuggle with his trailing fur. But then the priestess had gone ahead and murmured his pet's name. All the weariness left him unscathed, he was in full alert and it took immense control in not lashing out with wrath when Inuyasha kept hovering _so_ close and sniffing everything that was on their way.

So Sesshomaru did the next best thing to scare of his half brother. He turned with such a hostile look, flared his nose and narrowed his now red iris. Inuyasha promptly fell down and ran to hide behind the holy lady. Sesshomaru always looked angry, but an angry Sesshomaru looked pure _evil_. And the best laid out strategy for Inuyasha was to use the human miko as a defensive shield.

"Coward" The eldest of the sibling sneered at him and Inuyasha duly snuck out his tongue. Apparently the youngest one had a death wish; either that or he was just a complete lunatic. Sesshomaru's rage was in peak, brimming from within and he crouched low in his fighting stance to make the world Inuyasha-free once for all.

"Shh!" The miko lifted her palm, effectively silencing the entire room. She was now in the end of Sesshomaru's glare, but she never faltered in her routine. Her chin was up and she narrowed her eyes towards the little fabric that had once belonged to the human girl whose fan base was surprisingly wide. She could feel the harmless tug of the hanyou on her attire and she unleashed her powers to open a temporary portal in the mid air.

Inukimi could only stare at the strangeness in the room. She was heavily displeased with the way her son was acting. This was sickening, and the Lady of the West could sniff out the family trait. How the most important men in her family had their heart ruled by mere humans almost made her feel worthless. She could only hate them more with a sudden intense. There was a power surge from her son who had aimed an attack on Inuyasha and Inukimi hadn't even moved a muscle to discipline him.

When the helpful miko had raised her palm, the Lady was hit with a wave of regret and remorse. She failed in her duty as a mother. She could now see how the hatred had stated to overtake the love in her heart. She cursed her suddenly delusional mind and prayed to the heavens above that the pet should be returned intact to her son. She was in no position to deal with another heart break in the family.

Sesshomaru who had come with a much needed peace with Inuyasha, made a move towards his mother. He felt lost, vulnerable and those were the feelings that had crawled in when his father had abandoned him. His mother who seemed cold towards many was the only source of warmth he could get during those lonely nights.

"Mama" Sesshomaru tugged his mother's fur. Inukimi's heart swelled with a strange weepiness. It had been years since he had referred her in that way. She wanted to gather him in her hands and lift him up but the lady knew that her son would never want to look week. Cuddling him in front of Inuyasha would only hurt his pride and she chose to grace him with a look that would offer him the support he needed.

"Sesshomaru, you have such a little faith on your subject. No son of mine would be defeated, even if the battle is against the time itself" She said with a voice of crystal and clear. He gave a firm nod and looked forward with a hope painted on his young face. Inutaisho was all the more proud of his mate and his eyes swam through the distance to witness the tear in the timeline with fisted palm. The room was filled with the miko's power and he could feel the subtle kindles of purity curling with the tiny hairs on his skin.

' _Strange. Her energy sign is almost similar to Kagome'_ He pondered. He could feel the same questioning stare from his Lady and shook his head with no clear solution coming up. There was a slight mirage, a sense of stillness encased them and a serene silence followed. A sudden fountain of mauve hues from the mirage made Inuyasha to duck further, behind the red skirt of Kikiyo. He could almost taste the ripple in the air and he just couldn't wait to see Kagome. However, he doubted that Sesshomaru would leave her anywhere near him once she is back.

He pouted.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't his fault. Wasn't that already established? He could still feel the annoying look his brother kept sending him.

There was a crackle and a definite gasp from the miko. The Lord and the Lady had to pry their eyes away from the unfolding portal to give the required attention to Kikiyo's gasp. She was startled and her normally expression less eyes seemed to be wide with an overt realisation.

"What is it?" Sesshomaru asked, the look on the miko had him in knots. There was a strange churning in the pit of his tummy and he was sure that he was gonna chain his pet to his claws. She is never leaving him again once she crawled back to her rightful place beside him.

"She is my incarnation. I don't understand" There was a clear sense of confusion floating in the eyes of Kikiyo. While incarnation is the normal process in the universe, there usually isn't one without a reason behind it. She couldn't help but wonder the necessity in having her own incarnation in the future.

"Well, I don't care. Just bring her back" Sesshomaru yelled.

"Sess'mru! You are a big meanie!" Inuyasha yelled and a dual of staring had commenced between the brothers. The battle was immediately ended when there was an evident growl from their sire.

"She had erected a powerful wall around herself without intending to do so. I couldn't break in to her defence and bring her back!" Kikiyo informed the troubled group of demon who looked unbelievingly lost.

"What else can be done?" Inukimi asked. She was the only one who seemed little rational among the four. Her look was calculative and cold. She had never lost any type of war before and even though she had once lost the priority in her mate's life, she knew it wasn't something that can be defined as a synonym of battle.

"I could weaken her defence wall. She hasn't raised it intentionally. But I don't know if her memory is still intact. If anything goes wrong, it could lead in to a series of serious consequences" The miko announced. She could almost feel the sadness seeping out of Sesshomaru. His eyes grew large and a second later he fumed.

"She will remember me" He repeated once again. His resolve to get his pet back was alarming. Even though the miko had first thought that the very concept of a human pet was demeaning, she could see that the human girl was more than that.

She was not just a pet. She was the pride and joy of the West.

There was a high pitched crying from the mid air and Sesshomaru instantly knew that it was Kagome. He looked in to the circular tear in the air and could see a faded image of Kagome crying her eyes out in the middle of what seemed to be a room full of stuffed toys. He had to fight his urge to reach above and wipe that saline drips that blotched her tiny pretty face.

Inuyasha cheered and gave a loud, strong fist bump. It never occurred to the hanyou the he was standing too close to the miko and any movement from him would hinder her process in trying to bring back the reason of his merry. There was a slight whimper from Kikiyo and her knees hit the ground when the hanyou punched her leg, her concentration faltered and the portal closed with a loud thud. The specks of violet sparks died in a beat.

Three pairs of golden eyes narrowed at Inuyasha.

There was a loud snarl and a strong demonic aura was curling the one demon who had _finally_ lost it. He saw red and he wanted nothing more than to chew the half breed until he begs and bleeds to death.

"Die" Sesshomaru declared and moved towards the mortal enemy who had managed to cause him pain and only pain.

"Uh-oh" Inuyasha's lower lip quivered and closed his eyes with his tiny palms.

' _Yup! I'm gonna die. I never got to say goodbye to Mir'ku! And I didn't even have my breakfast!'_ The hanyou had his last thoughts hovering over certain dark haired girl who was always there to save him for the past six months. He could almost feel the oncoming blow from his brother.

He braced his heart.

' _Bye Papa'_

"PUPPY!"

There was a shout from a distance that froze everyone, including the death that had almost brushed the younger son of the West.

~.~.~.~

A/N: Whahahahha! Um, I'm not that evil! I could never let the adorable Inuyasha die, even though he defines trouble.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It was one of those rare moments that made him realise the real definition of fright, the moments where his eyes would grow impossibly wide, the moments where his fur would bristle in the end, the moments where his demonic aura would just still and wait for seconds to pass by, the moments where he would finally bite down his pride and look desperately for his father to come.

Sesshomaru was experiencing one such rare moments. The electric whip that zapped 'deadly poison' was frozen in the mid air when her voice cleared his crimson filled view. His pointed ears picked up the tentative gasps, the fear was clinging to him desperately with its claws, refusing to be purged and his tattered heart almost shuddered inside his chest.

And then there was a wet whimper flowing from across the room, a trembling quiver that brushed him, that bathed him with quills of deep guilt, pain and regret.

 _Inuyasha_

There was a sudden pulse from within, it mocked him, teased him, stripped him from his bravado.

' _You were ready to kill your own brother over a girl? Your own ally your own pack, your own blood seems nothing to you. You are weak. This is weakness. You will never be the heir of the West if you are ruled by your emotions'_

The voice made him cringe, he visibly paled, hatred swam its destined tendrils over his veins and he called back his powers, his elongated poison aura that would have turned Inuyasha in to nothing but pile of smoking ashes if not for her timely shout.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha squealed. Sesshomaru wanted to turn, he wanted to indemnify all the happenings that had taken place since her absence, he wanted to pull her in to his chest, to secure her back in the confines of his arms and to finally allow himself to breathe.

A second rolled by, he blinked, his lashes were smudged with angry tears that refused to roll and tumble down. Another second was sent to its grave and his brain cells urged him to shift his line of vision, to look towards her, the epitome of his happiness, the tangible form of his content that would finally free him from shackles of misery.

And, so he turned.

She was there, almost hanging from a rip in the time, her little palms were covering her eyes. The remorse hit him squarely on his chest. She had shielded herself from witnessing the massacre he was about to cause. He could see his father moving close, to reach out for the girl, to pull her in to this realm, to cradle her in his arms, to do all the right things that _he_ was supposed to do.

There was a low growl and the great Lord of the West faltered a bit in his path. It was not the usual warning manifested in the silent roar. It was a direct implied threat, something to do with territory markings and Inutaisho raised his brow in an elegant arch. He shifted his gaze to his Lady and her eyes were already narrowed with a calculative look.

"Sesshomaru, my son. You know I will never harm her" Inutaisho tried reasoning, but of course he could see that no amount of rational wordings would make sense to his son now. He could see the fragments of pain, the frantic intake of breaths and more than anything else, the great lord could see grains of fear littering on his son's eyes. His whole scent almost was poignant.

Inutaisho could finally see how vulnerable his son really was. He kneeled down to gather his lost son in his arms. He ignored the faint gasp of his mate, who was stunned to see that Sesshomaru didn't have a fit about the public display of affection. He had let his father to carry him like a toddler in front of Inuyasha. Inukimi's eyes widened at the scene that was unfolding. Her son seemed more yielding all of a sudden, a year back he would have categorised the act as boorish.

The Western Lord lifted his son in his arms, and was happy that he didn't have his usual armour on him. The spikes would have made it impossible for the Lord to cradle his son.

"Pull her from the portal. She had managed to pry it open all by herself without even realising it, I could only hold it as such for a minute" Kikiyo stated. Her palms were up, facing the human girl, as if struggling to push across whatever waves that were forcing the portal to shut.

Inuyasha was sucking on his thumb and his already huge eyes grew even wider; all of a sudden he wanted to be lifted by someone, just like how his father had lifted his brother. But when he stretched his arms in the air as a signal that anyone can approach him to give a boost, he felt a stare on his back.

The Lady of the West was shaking her head. A direct 'No'; no place for any kind of negotiation or coercion, not even luring her with his puppy eyes would be fruitful. Inuyasha pouted and Kikiyo had to suppress a smile. Her brows had a 'v' dip, a sweat rolled by creating a trail on her temple and she knew the portal would be closed in few seconds.

Father and son made hesitant steps towards Kagome. Her palms were still covering her eyes, and Sesshomaru felt a huge lump on his throat that threatened to weigh him down and bury him alive. He could feel his father tightening his arm around him, a sense of warmth lifted his heart and he took a deep breath and gave a nod.

Inutaisho reached over and pulled Kagome gently to settle her down in the pelted floor. Everyone had their eyes on her when Inutaisho kneeled down, letting his son back on his feet. There was a loud shut of the portal from behind but no one cared to turn back. Even Inuyasha had ceased sucking on his thumb, he refused to make a sound, all the more afraid that this is just a dream and that any sound would just promptly wake him up.

Kagome was startled, scared and was shivering. When Sesshomaru inched closer to grace her pig tails lightly, she flinched. He recoiled; his eyes were down, as if drowning in the pit of misery. Her scent had the same warmth that had a comforting essence, but it seemed like there were specks of confusion and fear emitting from her.

Kikiyo came closer, her eyes focused only on the human child sitting in the floor. She could feel Inuyasha crawling, trying to keep in same pace as she is.

"Kagome" Sesshomaru tried again and she looked at him with questioning eyes, tilting her head as if figuring out who he was. He could hear his own heart thudding in his chest, almost willing to crumble from within.

He hated feeling like this.

He hated the desperation that seemed to just annihilate him in to nothing but remains of dust itself. He could feel the stinging saline moist in his eyes, threatening to peek from the confined rim.

He felt cold.

"Ka-go-me?" Inuyasha called to her, his voice was too low. But she responded to it. Her eyes that were swimming in the moist moments ago, shined with a relief, as if it was lit up and as if she remembered how to breathe again.

"PUPPY" She cried and leapt for him like she usually does. Inuyasha squealed, cuddling, snuggling, hugging and all those merry.

There was a low growl followed by a dead silence.

"She doesn't remember me" Sesshomaru mumbled. He could feel a wave of emotion churning in the depth of his chest, there was anger, sadness, disappointment, loss. It didn't make any sense to him, it ached.

He felt plain cold.

The lumps claw chocked his throat with deepening sharpness, pulling him down further. The throb in his chest was edging like a rusted knife soaring in his heart.

It didn't settle well, Inuyasha always managed to steal everything away from him, everything that is dear to him, his father, his toys and now his pet. He hated him even thought the feeling was irrational. He couldn't help but feel that everything was Inuyasha's fault.

"She remembers him, but not me" Sesshomaru stated and he wanted to grieve, to give in this need to succumb in a fetal position and let out _everything._ His fur curled itself around him, as if the act would protect him.His breath never hitched when he heard a roaring thunder from outside, howling in his pain, tearing the stretching sky almost with required vehemence in a haze of electric blue shuddering the whole of the earth. Liquid crystals from heaven were shed, grieving what he couldn't grieve for, a soulful cry.

 _Pet_. The name no longer suited her. If Ah-Un had gone missing, he wouldn't have been in this hell. The intensity of his lament wouldn't have gone beyond this threshold. He wouldn't have been reduced to this whimpering wounded puppy.

She was more than a pet. Realisation slapped him hard, and now he was just a stranger in her eyes. The sharpness of his fang didn't stop the quiver of his lips.

"No, Inuyasha was the last of members she met in this realm. Her memories are resurfacing, from the recent events to the past. Give some time for her brain to wrap itself." Kikiyo informed. Her eyes were equally dark, concealed and guarded, but there was a hint of pity in it.

A phantom of hope brushed him. A tingle of warmth spurred in his cold heart.

 _Hope._

Such a strong word holding promises of better tomorrow. The light harboured in the corners of his brain, lifting him up from the withering loss.

 _Patience_

He had it. He had mastered it in his limited existence. Anyone who deals with Inuyasha was blessed with it and so he decided to be patient.

"Papa" He called and the western lord was on his knees again. The Lord's heart churned, his son used to refer to him like that when he was a toddler and not anymore. 'Father' was more foreign and cold, a word that almost described him, defining the distanced relationship. But considering the pain and vulnerability that oozed out from his son, Inutaisho would any day be happy to be referred as 'Father' over 'Papa'.

"Can we go home?" Sesshomaru asked. His eyes felt heavy and all he wanted to do was to roll down and sleep. Numbness seemed to be more luring than the reality.

Inutaisho nodded and Inukimi turned towards the miko to thank her. There were polite exchange of final greetings and the family exited the shrine, with Kagome trailing with Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru swallowed his lump. She will remember him. He knew, because she is not just a pet to him. She is _more_ and so is he.

~.~.~

A/N : Don't hate me! Sesshomaru is just little heartbroken. Believe in his hope.

Thanks for the amazing reviews :) It really does make my day.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The dullness floating in the castle was hugely sickening and grey. It was a bright new dawn, but not even the finest rays of Sun could light up the stygian lamenting in the Moon castle. The Lord and Lady of the West resumed their royal duties, but the frowning lines in their forehead wrote pages on their distress. Sanity almost seemed luxurious right now.

The human child who had borne the status of a pet was no longer under that pretence. While they had wrapped up their minds over the fact that Kagome was back, alive and no longer a pet, the Lady was still troubled. Not that she didn't adore the little girl who had waltzed in their mundane lives and stirred liveliness, but to see that she means something more to her son would by all means create an havoc in the future within their demon territory. Humans were still very much in the lower cadre and wasn't that why her own mate didn't bring Inuyasha's mother anywhere near the Western Frontier?

Inukimi was almost painted with guilt. She couldn't help but feel as if everything was her fault. If she hadn't decided to bring the girl to Sesshomaru in the first place...

"What are you troubled with?" The Western Lord asked his mate, halting her thought. He could almost taste the ripple of anxiety from her. It was weighing him down, to see his son drenched in the spills of complete dismay. The depression was almost encasing on them and to see his lady in a similar state with a facade of stoic face, it pulled him down even further.

"Kagome" She said and the Lord wondered whether the worry was about the memories that refused to re-surface. It had been only few hours since the miracle of the little girl, who had managed to rip the realm and crawl in to this rightful time. While he was happy that the human was back, he felt utterly broken to see Sesshomaru mourning in the corner of his chamber.

"I'm sure she will remember Sesshomaru" Inutaisho stated. He could only pray that Inuyasha wouldn't boast around with her, looking all smug in front of Sesshomaru. That would result in rebuilding the castle again. The little half demon is such a spoiled brat!

"Of course, I know that. I'm worried about how our subjects will see her" She confessed.

The little human was gifted. She was almost spirited with sprouts of happiness and specks of untainted love. Anyone within few miles of her was strangely pulled in to a carefree breath, almost hypnotized by the radiance that she emits. It was just pure hard not to fall in love with that little girl with huge brown eyes. And the Lord just knew that she will be well respected on his lands.

"We will cross that bridge when the day comes. Even though humans are in the low scale, there are few with respected titles. Miyatsu is a human but he is my Royal Minister, almost my right hand and even the demons' respects him." Inutaisho mused. He could see the upcoming chaos in the future, but he was sure Sesshomaru will be trusted as heir to the West and so will be his decisions.

Inukimi gave a brief nod before walking off to her son's room, her long regal cape trailed behind her fur. The churning in the base of her breast was still not settled and her instincts pulled her towards Sesshomaru.

She just hoped she was wrong.

But a dog's instincts are never wrong.

~.~.~

His mind was all groggy and his eyes kept drooping from the lack of sleep last night. Inuyasha was just utterly confused. He had his face buried in his tiny palm trying to figure out what was wrong. He held out his fingers and counted the facts.

Firstly, Kagome had squealed and jumped with pure joy when they had reached the castle. She had shrieked out that it was just like the one in the 'picture book'. The hanyou just couldn't understand why she was all excited as if she was seeing their home for the first time.

Secondly, her palms were still gripping one of his claws. She never once went near Sesshomaru and it was more frightening to accept that his brother had not yet barged in and dragged her back to his room. His play time with Kagome was over long back and she was still by his side.

And then, the aura from his brother was sickening; it almost made him sneeze and whimper. His eyes had gone all teary and he just didn't know why everything was dull today. They had got her back and everything was supposed to be fine. Isn't it? It bothered Inuyasha that his brother had not yelled and sparred with him like he always does. Inuyasha pouted.

' _Sesshomaru is no fun when he is all sad'_

Even though he enjoyed his time playing with Kagome, he still missed all the fun in hiding and going behind his brother's back. He sighed and his tongue peeked out a bit under his fang when he tried to think harder. Maybe-

"Inuyasha, can I paint your face?" Kagome asked, ceasing his master plan. Her hands were all black from dipping it in the black coal. She raised her finger to leave a trail in his face and he yelped.

"No" he answered and jumped back. Her lips pouted and her brows furrowed a second later. Inuyasha knew that look and he was ready to race out.

' _Maybe I'll just run in to Sess'mru's room. He will yell and everything in this uh- universe will be fine again'._

He knew that he was asking for trouble, but he just wanted his brother back.

And so he ran.

~.~.~

Sesshomaru sulked and a wave of self pity washed him over. It nerved him that he was reduced to this pouted victim. He breathed in and out, the long breaths were supposed to be relaxing. He closed his eyes and tried recalling the territories of West in an order.

And then, there was a giggle from the next room.

He puffed out in annoyance and the cloud of ever persistent depression followed him around his chamber. It wouldn't have irritated him if the giggle itself was stupid and annoying, but her giggle was too mellifluous to his ears. Her little tatter always made him see the wonder from her eyes.

It's not as if he was jealous that Inuyasha had made her giggle. _No_ definitely not!

' _Maybe I should just execute the whole 'I'm-sorry-father-but –Inuyasha-really-fell-down-and-died' plan'_

Sesshomaru still believed that he cannot be pushed away from her memories, but the hope that had made him breathe, was not strong enough to kill the misery factor that decided to lay its eggs on him. He was brooding over his loss and then the anger of being an emotional fool showered him again. He put on a facade of cold indifference mask, flipped his fur and decided to stroll in his mother's garden.

When he was about to reach his ivory door, the bronze handles jerked and a bundle of red hit his chest, making him fall hard.

"Oops"

Sesshomaru growled. He was _so_ not in the mood to see his brother's walk of victory. Before he could push his brother off, another bundle of loud giggle and squeaks rushed in to his chest.

"PAINT" She squeaked and got off from Sesshomaru. Her hands were smudged with coal and she had already managed to streak the hanyou's ears.

Inuyasha yelped and ran around, Kagome was running in the laid out circles determined to pounce on her puppy and colour him in black prints.

And Sesshomaru was just plain furious. The whole of universe was conspiring against him and he had had _enough_ of this so called nonsense.

"Inuyasha! Get out of my room!" He hissed. He was literally shaking in anger and it took all of his self control to not _kill_ Inuyasha. He also didn't want Kagome to witness the massacre again.

"No, Kagome! Stop!" Inuyasha yelped again, he stumbled in the folds of carpet, rolled down with a laugh, got himself up and ran again.

"Inuyashaaaa" Kagome whined.

Sesshomaru's heart broke.

Jealousy, disappointment and the need to 'paint the world with blood' swam in his veins. He gulped down the oncoming saline drops in his eyes and growled again.

"INUYASHA! GET OUT with _your_ pet!" Sesshomaru yelled, the whole room vibrated and Kagome stopped her run. Her eyes went wide with fear.

"NO! I WONT" Inuyasha shouted back. The eldest of the heir suddenly shuddered. He has never seen Inuyasha raising his voice. Whining? Yes! Pouting! Yes, Stupidity? Yes! But he had never raised his voice against Sesshomaru. This was a death wish!

Sesshomaru pounced.

"Kagome! Stop Sess'mru. He is your teddy!" Inuyasha screamed with a hope that Kagome would _finally_ remember.

But the human girl just stood with quivered lips and wet huge eyes.

' _Uh-oh, so much for my plan!'_ Inuyasha gulped and crouched.

"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER" He dodged Sesshomaru's attack and clawed.

"THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE ANY SENSE" Sesshomaru shouted.

"IT RHYMES!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Idiot" Sesshomaru sneered and pounced again.

"Sess-o-maaru"

He froze.

"See! She always stops you when I'm about to die!" Inuyasha whined and grinned a beat later. Sesshomaru could feel the heavy thuds inside his chest. His eyes went wide and his knees gave up. His shins hit the ground and he let out his breath. It felt as if the yoke around his neck that had held him captive so long has finally lifted. He almost floated away with the air itself.

"Sess-o-maaru!" She giggled again with those stupid tears rolling on her cheek. Her eyes were shining, starlit and she ran towards him with a maddening speed, as if he was the missing piece to the puzzle all along, as if _she_ was the one who was looking for him all these hours, as if _he_ had left her in the first place.

' _Silly Kagome'_

He hugged her when she buried her face in his chest. She kept giggling and those tears of hers never stopped.

"Kagome?" His voice was too soft, too pained, too tired. His fur coiled her frame, her tiny palms fisted his silk attire, coals smudging his otherwise pristine robe.

He had never felt so light.

"Teddy!" She squealed and he could almost taste the spills of happiness and delight from her. She tugged his hair and he looked down with a smile on his lips. She was there in his arms, all glowing and giggling. She was there, warm and safe, giving yet another reason to smile, a reason to _live_.

Content.

He understood what it was to feel content.

She nuzzled and he breathed in her hair, her scent, her happiness.

"I'm home" She said.

It was pretty much what he would have voiced out.

~.~

Inukimi was startled, surprised, and almost baffled. The scene that was unfolding before her eyes made even her to smile. She could see the colours of devotion, promises and all other foreign feelings spiralling from his room.

She could smell the content from Sesshomaru, smug look from Inuyasha. She now truly believed that Inuyasha had her mate's DNA. He couldn't stand and watch his pack mate suffer.

She was proud when she heard the words of the human girl who no longer deserved to be a pet. Kagome's title in future would for sure bring chaos in their land, there would be an ugly fight.

' _They can all go to hell'_ Inukimi smirked. Her son was in euphoria and she would kill anyone who as much as _try_ to pry that away from him.

Her heart swelled with bliss.

~.~.~.~

A/N : Oh! I always love Reunions!

Next chapter, pure fluff!

Review! :)


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

It wasn't something she didn't expect to happen.

It wasn't something that precisely defined the situation as 'out of blue', even though it was _definitely_ something that would be categorised in to 'outcomes of losing sanity'.

After almost **five** years of trailing, cuddling and hovering with him, she knew just how his mind worked. Her own memory tissues had his voice etched in its cells and whenever she does something that would for sure irritate the great lord's heir, the tiny voice in her brain would growl in a perfect replica of his. She had learnt to accept him for who he is, those occasional insecurities, those regular outburst that would make him see red, those false death threats that were strangely creative and the irrational hatred towards his younger brother.

But nothing had prepared the eight year old human girl for what was going on right at this moment. Even after giving him a look of disbelief and later subtly manoeuvring the said look in to a 'are you kidding me?' look, he just stared back with his straight stoic gaze, his eyes half lidded, as if what he had said few minutes ago was absolutely normal and the reactions she had given was very much anticipated. (Which was apparently unnecessary, an overreaction according to him and so was duly ignored, _as usual_ )

There had been days where she would get irritated, call him an idiot, a big meanie (clearly from an over association with Inuyasha) and ignores him until she eventually calms up.

But, Sesshomaru hated to be ignored.

He makes it pretty clear by blowing up the empty rooms in the castle whenever she pays no heed to him. His blowing up never stopped even when his father threatened him that the cost of all those repairs would be deducted from his trust fund.

Half of the castle went down with a loud boom that night.

 _No one_ threatens Sesshomaru and sleeps peacefully.

Inuyasha almost died _again_ because he had the audacity to look all smug when the Lady disciplined Sesshomaru.

So it was perfectly safe to say that Kagome knew Sesshomaru and his mind workings. But this was something that was totally over the board.

Yes, she knew that the whole paradox thing-y shifted **_again_** and tried to place her back to where she belonged. She had been playing with Inuyasha that morning and there was a sudden air tunnel that had pulled her right from the castle and casted her back in a dark, cold, dry well.

Sesshomaru had gone ballistic. And whenever he goes evil, Inuyasha ends up being threatened with cruel death.

The priestess was called again. She convinced them that this is fate and the human should belong to her own time.

The Western family were not happy.

They were persistent, hard to say no to and in the end they got what they wanted. This time it was much easier to get Kagome back since she had spent more of her life in the realm of demons. Her memory was intact and Inuyasha wasn't in the path of grave anymore.

Kikiyo had pondered on the mystery of reincarnation, the hidden miko powers of the little girl and had departed the land of the West to find out more about the 'transcendental magic' from another powerful miko named Mirodiko.

This made Sesshomaru paranoid. So, he had spent his night sleepless, coming with a best solution to keep Kagome in this time zone, safe, by his side. Kagome had sensed something was amiss and she suppressed her yawn to ask what he was thinking about.

He had turned to her side, held her tiny palms in his, looked deep in to her eyes, took a deep breath (which was totally out of his character) and had said those words.

Hence, the current chaos!

"What?" Kagome asked; wording her reaction since it was blatantly ignored.

"I am going to chain you to me. The shackles will make sure that you don't end up in the other realm since one end is connected to me" He repeated.

"What?" She asked again when her eight year old brain had failed to process what he had just said. Okay, she understood what he had said but was still very much floating in 'are you delusional? _slash_ Do you think it's funny to scare people like this? _slash_ Is this one of your innovative threat?' phase.

Sesshomaru huffed. He was tired, sleepy and he just couldn't believe that he had spent half of the night coming with this brilliant plan only to be questioned _twice_!

"The priestess is currently unavailable. This is the best strategy to keep you safe" He said and rolled over to claim his much deserved slumber. Kagome had her mouth wide open in utter disbelief. After few minutes of trying to decide whether to hit him on his head or to call him an idiot or to just write this off as a weird nightmare, she ended up on the other side of the huge silk bed with a big pout.

The night was cruel on her human skin. She shuddered visibly.

Her lips broke in to a smile when she felt a tug of silver fur on her ankle. It coiled her tiny frame, warmed her up and she dozed off into her happy dreams.

She hoped he would forget about all this when the dawn bleeds in to the azure sky.

~.~

She was wrong. The boys were just immoderately callow.

Sesshomaru was being completely serious. And Inuyasha, _the traitor_ had voiced out that the plan was perfect.

She screamed. (After swearing that she won't save him anymore and promptly calling him a hypocritical coward. She recently expanded her vocabulary)

"Ka-go-me, you are hurting my ears" Inuyasha whined.

"I know, that's why I'm screaming" She shouted.

"Kagome, you are being unreasonable." Sesshomaru stated. She rolled her eyes, screamed again and took off running.

Inuyasha huffed out with traces of lividness.

"I will go get the chain and the key. You go catch her" Sesshomaru ordered his brother and for once the siblings were in the same page. Inuyasha nodded and jumped over the railing to avoid the huge beams in the middle of the corridor all the while hoping that his parents still had their morning political meeting.

He landed in front of Kagome and she halted for a minute, only to take off again in the opposite direction. The huge palace had so many doors that were unused and she knew that those chambers were unauthorised for an entry. She usually followed all the rules laid down by the Lord, okay not every rule, but as much as possible since staying with Inuyasha required breaking _some_ rules. But right now, she wanted to escape the evil clutches of Western brothers who had thought it was fine to chain her like a slave.

Like a pet

And she was definitely _not_ a pet. So she barged in the closed doors, stumbling once on the dusty carpet, coughing twice and ended up hiding behind an old creaky closet. She knew it was inevitable, Inuyasha would just sniff her out and Sesshomaru would just chain her. She hoped she could hide here until the Lord could bail her out and she was sure the Lady would definitely take her side on it.

She could hear the main doors opening which made her take an involuntary step edging the ends of the closet, tottering in the shadow and fell back. Her fingers curled in to something that was solid with beads. She braced her heart, her lips whimpered and the doors of closet opened with a loud creak.

Inuyasha was in front, Sesshomaru close behind with an iron chain that clinged in his claws, looking all officious and dark. The youngest took a step closer, raised his palm to pull her out of the dusty, stinking and creepy closet. It wasn't as if he hated her, no, he adored her so deeply that he had felt an enormous pain with such acuity when she had gone missing the last time. All he wanted was to keep her in his home so that she would never ever get lost again. So with an unusual display of adroitness, he curled his digits under her wrist and pulled her in to the room.

What he didn't notice was the antique looking beads on her other hand that she had flung on him as a show of puny self defence. He almost snorted, as if the weird looking chain of beads and claws would harm him in anyway.

"Inuyashaaaa" She whined as he pulled further, her two _left_ feet stepped a bit on the wrong side and she fell down. She could almost hear Inuyasha's titter and it only added fuel to the already raging fire. She regretted treating him as a puppy all those years back but now she just wished she could pet him like she used to so he would understand just how stupid their idea was.

' _Maybe, if I treat him like one, he would finally see the stupidity in it'_ She thought. Her knees was scrapped a little and Sesshomaru came in her view to lift her up. He hated seeing her in pain but he knew this was something he should do to secure her.

He never expected her to pounce on Inuyasha and pull his doggy ears.

"Inuyasha, Sit boy" She petted him. There was a loud thud, mass of dust swam in the impact of the younger heir kissing the ground.

"Ow" There was a muffled groan. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, cursing his brother's laughable reflex (as much as a ten year old could curse). But there was something strange and the beads around his brother's nape glowed in a subtle mauve. Kagome saw it too, with her eyes too wide, her lips in the shape of a small 'o'.

Inuyasha raised himself and dusted his now ruined sleeves. He sneezed and scratched his head in what could be defined as bewilderment.

"Inuyasha SIT" Kagome called out again as if testing a new found theory and the said hanyou went down with a mighty force.

"Ow" He yelled and she giggled. Sesshomaru sniffed and moved closer to give his brother a detailed inspection. His eyes widened in a realisation.

"What?' Inuyasha asked, his voice was squeaky with slight shiver. He didn't like the look on his brother's face.

"It's a subjugation rosary" He whispered and almost broke in an amused smirk.

Who would have ever thought that the little girl in front of him, a former pet, someone who was about to be bounded in chains would reawaken the old magic?

He was wrong. _So_ wrong. He realised that she doesn't need a physical link to be safe. She is _his_ little Kagome with hidden powers.

She is his Kagome who would be safe, who would always be right next to him. He trusted her powers, her will and her instincts.

And why?

Because she is _worthy_ of his trust.

~.~.~

A/N : I know I promised a fluff, but this idea was so tempting. Apart from usual adoration I wanted Sesshomaru to respect her and to trust her.

And I have the best reviewers :)

Love you all!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

It was warm, like always; the soothing cosiness of his aura- her cocoon of baking warmth.

Never had she felt the terrible shudder of wincing cold when he was right next to her. The fur that he owned had a mind of its own, almost immediately curling around her waist, perfect, soft and smooth, pulling her a lot closer to keep her toasty. She smiled as the calm beats of his rhythmic heart sung her the sweet lullaby, her own symphony, her melody that defined home for her.

It was the birth of new day, the Sun was yet to rise and grace them with its golden grains that always escape the little woven threads in the dark drapes. She sighed in what could be traced as utmost content and turned to see him, her best friend, her saviour, her protector. His eyes were closed, his face devoid of the hints of anger and cold stare.

It was rare to see him like this, relaxed with his facade and guard down. The silver strands were still oddly perfect, framing his face, spilling on the silk cushions, unlike her mass of tangled messy ebony hair. She traced them, her fingers glided across the locks, wishing she had his perfectness. Seconds rolled by and her fingers begged, yearned to touch the magenta stripes, his royal lineage, his pride. It was so different from the rest of the texture of his face; more smooth and soft, almost like a lick of the velvet.

He stirred a bit when the tips of her digit graced them ever so slightly and she froze. She knew that she was not supposed to touch his mark. The Lady had once told her (warned her!) when they were having their usual evening tea. She pouted when she remembered that weird day. She had turned 13 last week and after the usual la-la-la fabulous feast that was thrown in honour of her birthday; the Lady had called her for a talk, a bizarre tête-à-tête about something in terms of losing a uterine line or so. She had zoned off in the middle of the talk, tuned out the science lesson and was actively revising the next day's prank plan that they have formulated.

'They'- being Inuyasha, Miroku and herself. It was the 'Convince-Myoga-to-drink-Kouga's- blood' plan, she almost had a hint of glee when the sketch was finalised the previous day. Sesshomaru had obviously heard of the plan (he has ears all over the palace) and had surprisingly not stopped them like he used to. Kagome had written it off as 'unusual' and pondered out loud, but Miroku had a smug look over his face. She had asked why (by asking, she had lured, threatened, dared and finally coaxed him) and he had said that Sesshomaru _hated_ Kouga since he had the audacity to touch her.

She blushed, thinking about it. She had turned pink when Kouga had dropped in that one fine day out of nowhere and hugged her, whispering that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. The blue eyed prince had then gone ahead, traced her cheek and pressed his lips on the back of her palm. Her traitorous heart had gone all loud, her insides went mush and Sesshomaru had given a growl, a threatening growl that had made her instantly to crawl under a tree.

She had mused about the reason behind that frightening growl, the dripping anger that had surged in the roar and Miroku had gloated around saying that she should figure it out on her own. She had asked Inuyasha about it and like always the hanyou was utterly clueless. He was more concerned in convincing the demon flee that the blood of the wolf would give a power 'beyond enormous'. Apparently Inuyasha was certain that the wolf smelled so badly that even the blood sucking demon flee needed a coaxing.

He was right though. Myoga had refused to suck the blood.

She giggled remembering the event that followed, Inuyasha's surprisingly creative way to threaten the flee. She could see how Sesshomaru's intimidating stares had rubbed on him and he was putting a good use of it. Years of being on the receiving end of the cold stare that screamed ' _die now_ ' had righteously helped him to master the look in to a perfect warfare, a skilful manoeuvre that had come in handy recently.

Her little giggle had stirred the heir of the West even more. The corners of his lips were etched with a slight curve, a rarity these days, even for Kagome.

"What are you thinking about?" Sesshomaru asked, his amber lit eyes had a free reign to her face. She instantly felt all warm and ducked her face under his fur. His chest rumbled with a light laugh that almost made her feel light, a tingle under her ribs and a flutter in her chest. Her cheeks lifted and she failed miserably in hiding the smile and the warmth that flushed her visage.

"Oh, nothing. Just about Kouga" She mumbled and instantly felt his muscles stiffening. She peeked out from the silver mass to see his eyes narrowed, his artful brow was raised in a perfect arch and the thin ribbon of the Sun had finally decided that it was the right time to let out it's spill of luminance, lightning his eyes in to a shade of pure molten gold.

"What about him?" He asked, the velvety deep voice was instantly lost and she could only hear the gruff tone underneath spiralling with an attempt to mask the anger.

"About how Inuyasha convinced Myoga to drink Kouga's blood" She said, her face was already tilted and sewed with flickers of confusion. She just couldn't understand why her Sesshomaru was so mad on the wolf prince. His eyes instantly relaxed, a small smile arched his lips and she forgot everything about the wolf. Her heart was working unusual these days, it would suddenly drum out loud; at times it would forget its only duty and skip a beat. And what was even stranger was that her heart tends to misbehave _a lot_ when Sesshomaru was closer. It would then settle down with a final flutter, her frame would shudder and her cheeks would sting from the constant attempt to hide the edging smile.

' _Hm, maybe the Lady would know what it means, I should ask her'_ She thought and snuggled closer to her epitome of warmth with a rather dramatic sigh of bliss and it was then she felt a pain in her midriff. (A/N: yeah, you all know this was gonna happen).

"What?" Sesshomaru asked, his eyes flooded with concern on seeing her slight wince. Her palm flew to her stomach and he sniffed. Panic flamed.

' _Oh'_ he thought. Realisation hit him, he almost wanted to drop her in the bed and run away. He was a fifteen year old demon and while he had attended enough anatomy classes to know what exactly was going on, he had no idea how to deal with it. He vaguely remembered his mother muttering last week that it was time to give her a talk. He hadn't asked how the discussion had gone and now he was at a loss.

"Um, Kagome" He started. He was a warrior, a prince, born to rule and raised to lead, he could handle the situation. He grimaced. He could see how bad it sounded even in his mind. He was losing his convincing capabilities at an alarming rate.

"Sesshomaru, I need a moment" She whispered and trailed across the room towards the chamber of bath. He let her go without a hesitation and strolled across the room, paced for two minutes and had sniffed again. Yes, the change has begun. His rational side had quietly pointed out that he had to call for his mother. But the other larger part of his brain had gone blank, numb and empty, almost drowning in the pit of never-ending nothing.

Before he could take a step out of his sleeping chambers, he heard a scream from within. It took some thirty odd seconds to breathe out, he braced himself and then was promptly hit by a whirlwind. She hid her face in his chest, sobbed, whined and shivered. He instantly had his arms around her, her scent had changed in to an aroma of wild flowers, he could sniff out the blood and felt his cheeks burn.

"Sesshomaru, I'm going to dieeee" She whined, as usual no regards to his sensitive ears that her high pitch does. He winced and bit his lips. This was exactly the moment where he finally did understand the words 'I wish the earth would open up and swallow me'.

"No, you aren't going to die" He said, praying to all the Gods that she should have a miracle moment where it would all make sense to her. But he knew that the heaven cracks up to see him in this type of misery and so he let out a lung full of breath as a defeat.

"But Sesshomaru, I'm _bleeding_ " She whispered and he winced. He could feel the dampness of her salt drops smudging through his robes and he pressed her closer to his chest. He was prepared with the science speech that he was about to give, but then the doors to his room opened with a creak.

"I smelled her blood! Is she dying? What happened?" Inuyasha came in with his half demon speed, pulled her from his brother and sniffed her again.

"Oh my god! She is gonna die" He yelled duely and sobbed with his palm raking through his dishevelled hair.

"I'm gonna die?!" Kagome joined in the whine and cried her eyes out, shuddering with painful whimpers.

' _Great, I'm surrounded by idiots'_ Sesshomaru thought and rolled his eyes. His patience was breaking and it was then he spotted Miroku hovering near the door. While Sesshomaru hated the wits of the human child his brother was friends with, he respected the knowledge the kid usually showcases.

He could see the light of understanding dawning through Miroku's dark eyes. The hanyou had fled from their morning walks when he had smelled Kagome. Miroku had understood what was going on and had tried to stop the clueless Inuyasha, but he was of no match to the hanyou.

"I will tell him" Miroku offered and stepped in to pull the whimpering hanyou away from the human girl who still believed that this was the last of few moments in her life.

"Inuyasha, she is not going to die. Come on" Miroku had to use all his strength to pull him and drag the sobbing hanyou back to his room so that he could give a smack on his head and give a early science lesson.

"I'm not going to die?" Kagome asked in a silent whisper. Her face was blotched with huge streaks of tears. It broke his heart to witness her pain and so he knelt down beside her, gathered her into his lap, rocked her for almost ten whole minutes and gave her an answer.

"No you aren't gonna die. Do you think I will let the death to breathe next to you?" Sesshomaru asked and he felt a small smile that had managed to trail in her lips.

He could hear the footsteps of his mother and sighed in a relief. He gave Kagome a small kiss on her messed up tress, breathed in her new scent that was strangely addicting, the flavour of forest Lily and carried her towards the in-door chamber to draw a bath. He heard the main door crack open, felt his mother's pull and a small glee in her glinting eyes, a phantom of smirk was invading the Lady's lips.

' _What was the smirk for?'_ Sesshomaru wondered before exiting the chambers to offer a promised slap to Inuyasha for his display of stupidity.

0oo0o0o0oOOO0000

A/N – They made me work on the weekends! I hate my new job.

I'm so sorry for the late update.

Love you guys!

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	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

She was grateful for whatever had pulled her back to the realm of demons all those years ago when she was just a toddler.

She really didn't try to look in to it, to question the inks of fate to where exactly she belonged, because it was as if she was an outcast and just _maybe_ her birth realm had decided that she would probably be an old soul in it and hence the whole dramatic shift of her time zone.

She didn't try to ponder on things that seemed 'transcendental', but that doesn't in anyway mean that she wasn't eternally grateful for whatever had pulled her here. It was all warm, fuzzy and that was how happiness was supposed to be like, at least according to her it defined the whole sensation of being happy.

It was one of the reasons for not questioning back the new, strange orders from the Lady of the West. It came out of nowhere, all her belongings were to be shifted to a different chamber, away from the one she had laughed, cried and slept all these years, the one she shared with her best friend, her epitome of joy. It had baffled her to the core and she accepted the new terms with a single nod, biting down the curiosity that was dancing in the tip of her tongue, swallowing down the sting of lingering saline in her eyes.

She believed that everything happened for a reason and promised herself that she would demand a due explanation when the right times comes crawling in.

She had blushed and wanted to hide under the bed when the Lady had explained to her _again_ the cause for changes in her body. She understood now, all the missed out science lessons and almost face-palmed when she realised how stupid she had been to think that she was in the brink of death. A small voice that wanted to comfort her whispered from within that she was not the only one who had thought that way. Poor Inuyasha had mourned for her for hours, before Miroku had finally cracked in and gave up the act of stoic to explain the hanyou what had actually happened. The look on his face was priceless, she had been told so.

Now here she was in her own chambers, well lit and all, but it oddly seemed cold. Loneliness washed over her mercilessly and she could feel the familiar prick in her nose, the want to curl in the corner and cry had invaded her effectively.

She just didn't understand what was going on around her. Yesterday, after the explanation, she was pampered like a princess, finest oils with alluring fragrance had been boiled, cooled and applied in her skin, petals of rare flowers were crunched to grace her bath. The Lady had taken out the jewel studded combs and petted her like she was some worthy doll. It had made her smile silly and giggle with the Lady who was almost like a mother to her.

When she had been dressed with the finest silks and satins sewed with glimmering stones, she was allowed to step out. Kagome was brimming with joy, eager to show her new fabrics to Sesshomaru. But he was nowhere to be found and so she had waited as patiently as she could in their room. When there was a knock on the door, she had run in delight to open them, to finally see him and play with him. But the knock on the door was given by the royal guards with an order from the Lady to shift her belongings. She felt lost.

She had heard from the silent whispers among the maids that Sesshomaru had thrown a fit. It soothed her to know that he was equally disappointed with the recent arrangement. It was like a balm against a burning wound.

Her eyes gazed towards the silver crescent swimming in the night's sky. Her elbows were rested in the large window sill, her palm cupped the swell of her cheek and she almost drowned in the beauty of the moon.

Sleep was as malevolent as it could be. It refused to grace her and the coldness embraced her.

She had never slept alone as far as she could remember. Her dreams were always sweet and warm with Sesshomaru by her side. She scolded herself for being a damsel in distress, but she needed Sesshomaru by her side. It almost seemed impossible for her to spend even a day without being blessed by his gaze.

His golden eyes...

Something was horribly wrong with her heart. It raced even when he lingered in her thoughts. Kagome had always known for a fact that Sesshomaru was _so_ beautiful. But it came as a hard realisation that she found him to be even more- beyond the word beautiful could do a justice for. Someday in the future, he would want his own bride (who in every sense would be as beautiful as him) and she just couldn't obviously go around and demand him to share a room with her.

She felt low.

Worthless, afraid and alone.

And finally succumbed to a whimpering sleep that claimed her with strings of a deadly nightmare.

~.~~.~

"You are being unreasonable, my son" His mother had told him when he pointed out that her orders were uncalled for.

He could see where she was going with her point. But it seemed too silly according to him. He wasn't stupid. He was fifteen years old and he just knew what his mother was worried about. It hurt him to think that his mother had in fact thought him to be a hormone driven demon.

"I am? You are being unreasonable. You do know that I don't have any such ill intentions towards her" He had stated with a pointed gaze. His mother had sighed.

"When are you going to realise that you have grown up. Kagome isn't a child anymore. There would be inappropriate talks around our castle if you share your room with her and I don't want such talks in my palace."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. As if anyone would have guts to start a talk about him and he also knew as a fact that no amount of talks would really startle his mother. He could sense that she was planning something else, just underneath her skin, he could almost taste the ripple of her excitement, or was it curiosity?

"Listen to your mother" Inutaisho had made a final appearance and given his judgement. Sesshomaru had huffed and his aura had cracked with threatening anger. One glare from his father had made his fur to bristle. He refused to give a departing bow or to wish his parents a good night and with a hard stare towards his mother, he had exited the royal hall.

His room was devoid of her presence, of her usual giggles. She could smell the salt in the air, the drips from her eyes. His trained ears caught the wafting whimpers from her chamber that was down across the long corridors. He had never before moved beyond the orders of his father, he had never committed a treason before.

Right now, he didn't give a damn about his sire's orders.

With a made up mind, and high awareness of the consequences for his actions, he crept out of his chambers without his shoes. The cold marble under his feet didn't give him any chill, but the thought of spending a night without her curling up by his side was enough to give him a shudder. The night guards didn't make a sound in their usual patrol, they were somehow loyal to him and they seemed to understand that it would be impossible to submit to slumber without her. They never stopped him when he walked across the golden corridor.

What made him stop in his tracks was the hover of his brother outside the closed doors of her abode. Inuyasha seemed to be in a trance, as if he was putting his brain to use. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes again when his brother's eyes lit up on seeing him.

"What?" The elder of the two questioned.

"She is crying" Inuyasha answered, his voice was strained when he stated the obvious and it came as a no surprise to Sesshomaru. Inuyasha adored Kagome and he hated it equally when she was in distress. He hated tears, it sends him to edges and he tends to get all panic-ey.

"Yes, I know" Sesshomaru whispered and moved closer to the door. With a single push to the bronze handle, the door allowed him the access to _his_ Kagome.

She was there, curled in her bed, looking unbelievably fragile and small. His chest felt a mild squeeze of a haunting twinge. She had cried herself to sleep.

Inuyasha was the first to act. He moved in as slow as he could, to wipe away the almost dried tears from her cheeks. She stirred and he froze.

"Sesshomaru" She whispered. Her lids were still heavy, closed and the hanyou breathed out a sigh of relief. He certainly didn't want to feel Sesshomaru's wrath for waking her up. The eldest of the heir crawled in to her bed and his fur found its way around her waist to pull her gently towards his chest.

She smiled.

It was too beautiful to be real, her smile. But Inuyasha as always, _had_ to ruin the moment of any bliss that Sesshomaru soaks in. He went ahead and sniffed the air.

"Kagome smells funny"

That had made her to stir more.

"Idiot" Sesshomaru murmured, aware that his Kagome was completely awake now, but was faking the sleep so that the dumb brother of his wouldn't be hit for waking her up.

"Feh" The hanyou mumbled and twitched his lips. Before he could get out of the huge bed, her hand had found his claws and pulled him. He didn't budge but was definitely freaked out. He really had no intentions of waking her up. His ears hid in the silver mass, all guilty and sad. He tried to pry his fingers away and get the hell out of the room before Sesshomaru could get angry. But the human girl would not just give in.

"SIT" She finally whispered and the rosary that hung around his nape tugged him hard. His face was instantly buried in the soft mattress and his groan was muffled.

She giggled.

"Stay" Sesshomaru said. His eyes were closed, fully aware that his brother had his jaws opened wide in a surprise. Kagome pulled the startled hanyou again and this time, he allowed her to tug him closer. Her palm found his ears and the tip of her fingers brought out the hiding cones in his head. He purred. She giggled.

Sesshomaru hid his small smile under her hair. He sniffed once, and decided that Inuyasha's sensory nerves were all messed up.

She smelled heavenly and it almost made him purr too. He would never let go of her, he decided.

~.~.~.~

"I told you he would not stay in his room" Inukimi smirked and gave a look of victory to her mate. He huffed and gave a pout. He pushed his silver strands behind his ears with irritation and she laughed. It was a pleasant melody to his ears.

"I can't believe that he disobeyed a direct order" Inutaisho frowned. He rolled his eyes when he saw the smug look on her face.

"They can't be in love. They are too young." He stated with a pointed gaze.

"They are already in love. They just don't realise it yet"

A/N : Cmon, its totally not wrong for them to sleep together in the same bed. They are just kids!

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And thanks : ) Love you all!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Inutaisho is known for his act of diplomacy, his name has already left a deep rooted impact in the histories of epic wars, the lines of his victories would make everyone look at him with a sense of pure awe, he is a brilliant swordsman, a brave warrior and a benevolent ruler. Those were the qualities, the push, the fact, that had made Inukimi to finally give the barest of nod to the marriage alliance all those years back, but now, she just couldn't believe that she had mated with a man who doesn't have a single clue of what was going around right now.

"What?" He had asked when he felt his mate giving him a look which would have scarred any lowlife soldier.

Inukimi had given a huge sigh of mustered irritation, a mutter about how a ruler shouldn't miss even the subtle events and walked away from the throne room. Inutaisho was in a loss, and it took him five more crawling minutes to swallow his dignity and call her back to _explain_ things to him. And this time he had made Miyatsu to stay. (In case, he dozed off in the middle of his wife's lecture, he could always trust Miyatsu to manage the chaos that may erupt)

"Taisho, don't tell me you still don't get it." The lady started the talk again. He totally got the fact that his mate still believed that Sesshomaru was in _love_ with Kagome. But the Lord patiently, for the trillionth time, pointed out that they were just kids and that _his_ son is just being protective and there is absolutely _nothing_ else that is going around.

"Fine, then why don't you arrange for a royal ball, formal gatherings of all lands, of all princes, including human princes _for_ Kagome? Maybe then you will _see_ Sesshomaru's rage." Inukimi stated in her monotonous voice. Any insult to her 'mother's intuition' is a personal insult to her, a call for a definite war and war is what she would give.

"Fine, I will. She may be a full human but I see and love her like my own daughter. She is fourteen and she is of age and I _will_ announce for a formal gathering. A groom will be chosen, two years of courtship and then there will be a grand wedding." Inutaisho ordered and Inukimi had a wave of victory swimming in her eyes. Her lips twitched and her palms itched. There was a ball to plan and a hell lot of a practice to master the smug look - to give her husband, when it all comes crashing down on his head.

"Um, Sire, I don't think that is a good-" Miyatsu tried to talk sense to his Lord, but a hard stare from the Lady shut him up.

"No, Miyatsu, trust me, it's a brilliant plan. I will send an invitation to your son too. He may not be a prince by blood, but he does carry the value of one." The Lord said, his voice had a boom, a sign of final authority.

' _Oh!_ '

"Uh-NO! Sire! I mean, I know Miroku sees Kagome as his own sister. It would be an insult to their relationship if there is an invite involved" Miyatsu swallowed the lump in his throat to get the message clear. He clearly has only one son to continue his legacy and he definitely didn't want to witness him getting fired up in Sesshomaru's fury.

"UH-huh" The lady mocked at him, gave a smirk and all, and walked away with her chin held high, her pristine silk cape fluttering with a start, her fur trailing behind her with a sense of bravado. She had to dress _her_ Kagome in a way that would break every young male's heart when Sesshomaru man up and claims her.

~.~.~.~

"What?" Inuyasha had asked for the second time when the words robbed him of his thinking ability. He was in the midst of planning a brilliant sketch with Miroku to _finally_ give the mangy wolf a hell, but then he was called for by his Lady. His best friend had strolled behind him with a promise to give him a proper burial ceremony.

"What are your intentions towards Kagome?" The Lady of the West was not known for her patience. That was the usual rumour that had flown to the farthest, darkest corners of the lands. But it was all wrong. She had raised Inuyasha and it does mean that she _did_ have all the patience in the world by now. So, she repeated those words again.

"Uh- Wha- Uh, I mean, she is my pal" He stuttered. He really didn't understand why such a question was asked and it really _really_ didn't make any sense to him as to why she gave him a stare that she usually gives when he gets in to trouble. (He swore that he didn't do anything when he had barely taken a step in to her room, before any sort of questions were asked. Miroku had found it hilarious and had giggled.)

"Is that all? Do you have any intentions to pursue her romantically in the future?" The Lady did know her younger son well, but she wanted to make sure that there wasn't even a thin filament of such thoughts lingering in his tissues.

"Ew, No!" He grimaced and his face had a reign of sour look, as if he wanted to puke in the very carpet that was all red and royal. Of course, it didn't in anyway mean that he didn't find her attractive, it's just, it felt so grossly wrong to even think of her that way. She was Sesshomaru's and will always be his. Inuyasha would never pluck her out of his brother's life even if his very existence depended on such an act. Besides, he was twelve and was still focused on sketching prank plans. His father had even complimented him on the 'brilliant war strategies'. It had made Inuyasha smile for the whole day and Sesshomaru had to knock him down, _twice,_ so that he could get his due sleep without being interrupted with the hanyou's constant ,'Papa-said-I'm-the-best' song every thirty seconds.

"Good to know. And you?" She asked the human male who was growing handsome each day. It had almost made her even more calculative. But it came as a breath of relief when a royal spy had informed her that the human child was smitten with some demon slayer in the next village.

"No, my Lady. My intentions towards her are very honourable. It is known now to almost everyone that she is Lord Sesshomaru's intended" He said. Inukimi almost blinked in surprise when she saw the air of diplomacy rippling from the young man. Her mate's words were very true; he did carry the value of a true Prince.

"Fine then, off you go, _my_ son" The Lady ordered and turned with a might. The smallest of a silly smile crept in the corners of the hanyou's lips when the Lady of the west referred him as her son. His mind had never doubted the treatment that he received, but it did feel really good to hear those rare words of momentary confessions. She had always seen him as her own and Sesshomaru had always seen him as a pain in the ass brother. (Pain, but still a brother)

And it felt damn good to hear it out loud.

~.~.~.~

"That's it. We are going back now" Sesshomaru got up from his temporarily made snow seat. The kiss of the winter was pelting them with its white and he could see the slight shiver that she pathetically tried to hide.

"Five more minutes. I knew I left it somewhere here" She said and tried shoving away the fallen snow by her small palms.

"Left what? Kagome, tell me what you are searching for? I can smell and let you know where exactly _it_ is." Sesshomaru offered his help for the tenth time in less than five minutes.

She shook her head.

' _God, she is stubborn_ '

He moved next to her and took her chilled palm in to his. She shuddered and the eldest heir did know that it wasn't because of the silver freckles that the sky spilled. Her eyes, her large eyes that never shy away from his were filled with sadness. He hated it.

"Tell me" He ordered. She shook her head again. Her lips had a tint of blue, as if the Gods of the Cold had personified and kissed her beautiful pink lips; he hated it _so_ much.

"Please?" He yearned and she melted, _instantly_. He had smelled secrets from her of late and he hated it too much when she kept things away from him.

"It was supposed to be a surprise" She said, her voice was too low and if not for his sharp senses, he would have missed it among the blowing waft.

"What is it?" He asked, pulling her closer. He could feel the slight gasp from his Kagome, her skin was warming up and her cheeks were in a delicious pink. With her eyes closed and her palms lost in his, their hairs in a lazy ornate, tangled, dark among the strands of light, they stood as if they are where they were meant to be.

He was not blind, he was a full grown demon with _all_ the senses. He was not a fool, no he wasn't, he could see her as a young girl now, naive and unbelievingly beautiful. Her shoulders relaxed when his warmth embraced her frame. It went deep, the comfy feeling of belonging with someone rooted firmly in their tissues.

Her lids lifted up, to grace her eyes with the complete bliss of being showered with the iris of pure gold. Her heart hammered, fighting so hard against her ribs, wanting to dance with the other half that was beating on the other side.

Her breath was deep, taking in all her lungs could, to imprint in her memories the very essence of his aroma. His single claw trailed her arms and there was that momentary dizziness where she felt as if her legs could no longer support her.

She was scared. Everything around her changed so fast, her heart, her feelings, her definition of happiness. She was too scared to give a form to the feelings she now harboured.

She had spent nights without sleep, refusing to give in to the demanding slumber until Sesshomaru crawls in to her room secretly. She was too addicted to his rare smile, to his hugs that he saved only for her. She was all confused and she could sense that something was gonna change, but it was too misty to point it out.

Few hours ago, she had felt too heavy and worn out to give a meaning to everything that was changing and so she had taken Ah-Un to the forest and had spent gazing around. She had stumbled on a heavily wounded fox. She had panicked and screamed for help, but the fox managed to mew her down.

"Please human, stop screaming for help. I won't be lasting. I can feel the kiss of the death, coming to claim me away. I have been hurt and wounded and my time has come. I do not shed tears for departing from the alive, but what worries me is that I would leave this young one all alone in this cruel world" The mother fox had whispered. It was only then, Kagome had spotted a small bundle in the woven basket near the full grown wounded fox.

"His name is Shippo" The mother had managed to whisper, she gave a small smile, a single drop of saline rolled down her furry cheeks as a final tribute to the realm of lives.

And then she was gone, her last breath lost among the wind.

"Shippo" Kagome had whispered and peeked in to the bundle. A small brown fuzzy creature yawned and it reminded her so much of Inuyasha.

And then he had started crying.

"Yup, definitely like Inuyasha" She had muttered and had given the baby fox some dried fruits from around. She had built a small nest, a cosy makeshift bed with her small cape and left her fur wrap (a gift from the Lord last year) around the tiny fox. She knew she shouldn't leave the chibi fox alone, but she was well aware that the Lady and the Lord of the West wouldn't exactly approve of her actions if she shows up with a stray fox in her hand.

"Hey little guy, I will return in an hour with someone who could give your mother a proper respect and we can go home, okay?" She had promised the little fox, as if the toddler could understand every word that she uttered. She dearly hoped so. The furry creature had hiccupped, curled in the wrap and nodded off to a dream land.

She had gone to castle, demanded for Sesshomaru and had ran back here. (He ran, she was just carried). It had started to snow and her memories have shadowed the location and here she was, searching for the sleeping toddler for almost four hours and she felt too guilty for leaving a helpless child behind in the belly of the forest.

She rested her head on his chest and cried.

"Kagome...please" He begged and he had _never_ begged to anyone.

She told everything and he listened. It took all of three minutes for him to sniff the ether, to clear a small trail and to locate the snow buried carcass and a still sleeping toddler.

"Shippo" She whispered, kneeling down to the little warm brown. He peeked from beneath, all confused and hungry. Her arms were wide open and he leapt in the warmth, it was oddly familiar and he tried so hard to remember the feeling.

"Mama" He let out. There, he found out the name for the warmth.

She cried, hugged, kissed.

"He has green eyes.. so beautiful" She whispered to no one in particular.

An unusual sense of swell surged Sesshomaru's heart, almost proud to see Kagome under the night's bless kissing the orphaned demon, to see her caring for the little pup, as if he is her own. His inner demon danced with merry, roaring in his blood with a current of happiness.

He laid a finger on the baby fox, to mark his demon as his own pack. The kid demon turned towards the young man in the silver, all tall and strong.

"Papa?" he asked Kagome, his face inclined towards Sesshomaru. The human girl smiled, her heart was at an ease, her cheeks were kissed with scarlet, her eyes ducked down with a touch of shy.

She nodded and he smiled.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0000o0o0o0o0o

A/N: Love you guys so much. Thanks for following and favourite-ing : )

I know its fluffy, but couldn't help it. :)

I wanted Shippo in the story.

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	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It's just a thin line, a very thin hair-line exists between spewing a lie and manipulating the truth. Sesshomaru, at a tender age of sixteen, was well aware of the difference, the real depth and the significance of it as he was groomed to be the next heir to the throne. The young demon had his fine share of etiquette lessons and somehow in the middle of the famous never ending lectures about the principles that a benevolent ruler should so rightly possess, the history of ancient kingdoms had lines on the importance of the truth, along with diplomacies that involved 'strategies', techniques on political deception and the likes.

It wasn't as if he was totally unaware of the art of bluffing, he just preferred not to complicate things by being so creative in lying. (And also, it was below him to come up with a lie. Usually _if_ someone questions him, a cold stare would do a fine job of making the questioner shudder)

In the end, Sesshomaru always chose the path that promises him a peaceful night and it pleased him to a reasonable extent that bending the laws of truth doesn't _acutely_ define lying.

And so, he really didn't feel guilty in sneaking in to the castle with the little kitsune hid in the depth his fur. Not even a tint of remorse touched him and it was all justified in his books.

However, he did regret ( _a lot)_ in letting Inuyasha in to the cosy secret. The thirteen year old had frowned and sniffed around the baby kitsune with a glare. Inuyasha simple doesn't like to share and he wanted the 'awww, so cute' wordings from Kagome only for himself. And the toddler had aimed for his favourite wooden toys of _his_ childhood days. (Inuyasha had shrieked and saw pure red)

He hated every passing second Kagome spent in cooing the drooling baby. The hanyou so shamefully wished that his father would sniff them out and kick the green eyed toy stealer from the castle. But then things never _ever_ walk in line with his desperate wishes.

The ball was in the evening and the ether was adulterated with breaths of so many different species. Only when the toddler drifted off to a dream filled with purest joy, Sesshomaru sniffed the air, _finally._

"What is going on?" Sesshomaru asked his brother who was still glaring draggers at the snoozing kid.

Before the hanyou could cease his cynical thoughts and offer a rationale explanation on the acrid ripple, there was a swift knock on the doors by the guards. A quick throw of heavy blanket on the kitsune to cover up the fuzzy brown tail was initiated by Kagome and Inuyasha rolled his eyes, muttering something about 'stupid girl has zero subtleness'

"The Lady of the West requests , urr, Lady Kagome, for her attendance" The Royal Guard sputtered and exited with a quick bow to the heirs. Kagome had to blink and raised her brow when she was referred to as _lady_. She shrugged it off with casualness and exited the room to have her much deserved evening tea with the Lady.

~.~.~.~

"A what?"

Kagome had questioned with a voice that almost rivalled the softness of leaves' silent ruffle. It was almost lost with the air itself, as a passing waft meant to be unheard and the Lady knew that it was an expected reaction.

"A ball, Kagome." Inukimi said again. A clap of her hands summoned the land's best beauticians and Kagome was still in the same spot, her neurons in the brain refused to accept the command to grasp the reply, the need to comprehend the situation was lost.

"Why?" She asked when a minute rolled by lazily. Somehow, in the midst of drumming so hard, her heart whispered an obvious answer with a thud, an answer that she didn't want to hear but was so acutely aware of. Her eyes swam across the length of the chamber and rested on the satin gowns that sat so devilishly on one of the cushions, mocking at her, waiting to devour her.

"Silly Kagome. You are fourteen, a young maiden and isn't it reasonable to arrange a ball with fine suitors for you" The Lady said, her voice was straight, poised and it was as sharp as a shard of a broken glass.

She wanted to shout, she wanted to thrash out the whole room with an unknown fierceness and _cry_. She wanted to run in to Sesshomaru's arms and dissolve in to his chest like a small puddle. She wanted to scream that this in no way defines reasonableness.

Instead, she fell silent. Her vision was focused on nowhere in particular, almost lamenting as if something was indeed dead.

The Lady had her calculative gaze on. While she was sure that her little Kagome was so much in to her little boy, she needed a tangible proof, a strong basement on which she can build a castle of happiness for her loved ones.

And for that, she had to give the final push.

A harmless push that would finally make them realise the intensity and the power that they blindly have on each other. So, Inukimi went ahead and gave the final, tender, force to make them drown in a realisation of their devotion to one another.

"Why Kagome, even Sesshomaru knew that the ball for selecting your suitors was to be held tonight"

Her vision blurred, her eyes stung and her heart bled.

A voice from so deep within goaded her, laughed at her silly dreams and ruined her fantasy. She felt like an err, a hinder and her wishes were suddenly grey and ponderous. How stupid of her to even remotely think that she would forever stay with her Sesshomaru? The fate smirked at her lunacy.

It wasn't as if the thought hadn't graced her before. But a small hope always glowed brightly, vanquishing the spills of thoughts that even suggested that she would never get to live with him. _Love_ was something she was unaware of, she had thought so. But her dreams at times were filled with a handsome prince twirling her around and making her radiate pure bliss whenever she has her fill of going through the myths and legends of ancient love stories in the royal libraries.

And off late, the faceless prince had a face and it came as a no surprise to realise that it had the silky silver strands and amber lit eyes, her very own Sesshomaru. She had been scared, timorous and was truly freaked out, but when her sanity agreed to return to her, she had rolled her eyes, smiled and promised her frantically beating heart that Sesshomaru would always be the one to hold her hands till the sweet pain of death kisses them in their lips.

She had thought it's love. The promise of forever that always stayed in his eyes had made him as her definition of love.

How utterly naive of her to believe in such a lie? A self woven lie that had made her smile and forget the graveness of upcoming loneliness in the future, and now she was reduced to a sniffling creature. It was all her fault.

Maybe the Lord and Lady hated her so much that they wanted their castle devoid of her presence? But then, Sesshomaru had known. He had known that today would be the day, the day she would officially belong _to_ someone. She had been a liability, a due, a burden to them all these days.

And here she had secretly relished in an insane thought that her presence was the reason behind the rare smile that adorns Sesshomaru's lips.

Now she knew for a fact that if not for her, the rare smiles would have actually been multiplied with infinity.

It struck her chest, under her breast, inside her ribs, she was the real reason for his smile-less-ness. A heavy cloud of guilt lingered on her head and it burst out with torrent of pain, showers of remorse drenched her already weighed heart, guilt and complete _sadness_ bathed her insides.

No wonder he wanted her gone.

She wished she could wither and vaporize in to a thin filament of dying smoke. But the inks of destiny is never known to be kind. She realised that with a heavy interest.

She was an ash in his otherwise pristine life. And she needed to get off before the tide washes her away with an aching splash.

She never noticed that she was moved to the bathing chambers, disrobed and bathed in richest of oils. She never actually felt the soft caress of the silk against her skin nor the scream of her scalp when the strands of her hair were pulled and twisted with curls, pinned with rhinestones. She never heard the chime of her anklets nor did she see the mirage of herself in the mirror's skin, the blush of azure as her silk dress.

She didn't feel the glow when the Lady said that she radiated the energy of divinity. Kagome felt empty, hollow and ugly, yet the world around her gushed the words that she was a symbol of pure beauty.

~.~.~

"Are you delusional?" Sesshomaru asked when his brother had said that the ball was for Kagome. The eldest was already well aware of the fact that his half brother lacked the essence of brilliance. But it always did strike him to actually witness the emptiness of the hanyou's skull.

"I'm not the one with an adopted baby. Am I?" The hanyou asked with a glare, which was shrugged off by the sixteen year old, _as always._ His line of vision rested on the human kid, the one that had semblance of remote brilliance.

"I do think that it is irrational to have a little kitsune tucked in your fur without the sire's awareness" Miroku informed and Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes with hints of malice and painful death.

"I will repeat my question only once, son of Myatsu, listen well. What did he mean by 'its a ball for Kagome'?"

Miroku gave an involuntary shudder. The fifteen year old was confused, deeply lost in the same question. It had been haunting him, devouring him from inside when out of nowhere a royal ball was announced for selecting Kagome's suitors. He would have asked his father about the stupidity behind it, but the minister had been busy, sending messages through hawk demons across the three directions as an invite.

"Lord Sesshomaru, it is true. The ball has been arranged for Kagome. I'm unaware of the reason behind such poorly thought plan." Miroku stated. He wished he wasn't the one to inform his future lord about the happenings that made no sense to him. He could see the small furrow of his elegant brow, the shift of his jaw, the twist of his lips in to something that could be traced with the lines of frown.

"Feh, I don't get it. It's just a ball. It means a grand feast. That's all" Inuyasha gave in. His words made Miroku to hiss and reconsider his association with the clueless hanyou.

"Idiot, it's a grand invite for Kagome to choose her suitor, her future mate. Two years of courtship and re drafting the alliance policies and such" Sesshomaru informed with a scowl.

"Lord Sesshomaru. Do you think maybe, maybe Kagome was aware of it? Maybe she is actually okay and excited to attend the gala?" Miroku asked, his brows were drawn together with a painful thought. He regretted letting those words out of his mouth.

"NO" Sesshomaru shouted.

His insides were on fire. It was as if the angel of death had crawled from the hole below to rip his heart from the flesh of his chest mercilessly.

It was just for a second.

His facade was drawn up in an instant; his heart was braced, numbed from the intensity of the tiniest flicker of meltdown. Something from inside shouted that Kagome was definitely not aware of it. But a major part of him tumbled down with a strong brutal wave of anguish.

"NO" he repeated again. Refusing to believe that words of the human before him. But it had to be true, his parents were never the one to go against her wishes. Her squeals of joy had been valued in par with Inuyasha, their son, and the eldest knew for a fact that his mother adored her like a daughter she never bore.

His brain was playing tricks and Sesshomaru was in the brink of losing his calmness. He had never been loved and had never loved anyone. Everything that resided in the meaning of _love_ was routed with her and through her. He started caring for his half brother because Kagome had demanded so when she was a toddler. He had started swimming in the waters of patience because she had simply asked so. He had learnt to respect the words of Miroku because she had done so. He had learned to smile because it made _her_ to smile.

"Pa-pa" There was a yawning greeting from a puddle of brown below. The baby fox slurred from the realm of unreasonable tranquillity.

The referring made his heart still. He had grown a tender heart because she was in it. And he craddled her in his heart, his soft heart, he had grown soft because she needed it. He had taken in a small fox because she wanted to.

He was a puppet to her strings. His acts were for her smile.

He didn't care before, but it pulled him down with a mighty force.

There was no meaning attached to his actions, his words and even to his existence without a smallest reference to her. It scared him, _him_ , the mightiest of all the demons (next to his sire). It came with a hard realisation, an inflexible thought robbed his life force.

"NO" He said again, like a promise to himself. A small shimmer of hope was still ignited in the folds of his heart, giving out warmth, annihilating all the dark cold whispers in him.

"Why?" Miroku asked.

' _Because, She is-'_

' _Because, I –'_

' _Because, without her-'_

' _Mine'_

' _My reason to smile-'_

' _Because, she isn't someone's-'_

' _I love-'_

So many incomplete sentences were waltzing in the tip of his tongue, threatening to spill out, to finally be freed from the confinement.

"NO" The word came out again, with an imposed adversity. The silent plea to the heavens above and it shook him to the core that he had been reduced to a this shameful person, a parasite that couldn't be survived without an host.

Shame, anger, regret, hurt, pain, and many more brushed him with tendrils of persistent

ache.

"Pa-pa" The kid called for him.

But he had no ears to hear.

Now, without her, his heart was no longer an abode of warmth. It was cold with a kiss of a winter, like a lick of the death, like the touch of dark.

He left the room that felt crowded; the huge eyes of the baby fox suffocated him. He heard the muffled cry, the hiccup, the whimper. It never stopped him.

He heard his brother's call but it never ceased his path towards the room of decorated hall. He heard the loud cry from the toddler, felt the panic of his brother, the confusion of the human, but his legs never halted.

He didn't even turn when he heard Inuyasha muttering something about giving up his wooden toys to make the kitsune smile.

But his steps did come to an halt when he saw her in the layers of jewelled gown, under the soft blush of the moon, on the peak of the marble licked stairs. His breath gave up when he saw her dolled up like a bride waiting to wed the God himself, like an incarnation of an angel.

He felt selfish.

He felt lost.

He was at a loss.

The fate's play of plucking her often from his realm made sense to him.

She was never meant to be his.

A cold shudder, anger, and raw pain crawled up to his chest, blinding him. He turned and left her alone. He was too blind, too blind to see the glimmer of saline drips brimming in her rim, too numbed to smell her grief in the air, too ignorant to see the maiden in her state of utter defeat.

But she saw him. She saw him leaving her alone.

And so she did the only thing that her mind yelled to her.

She ran.

She ran without a direction, never stopping when the strange soles of her shoes shrieked against the well polished corridors, never stopping when the echoes of voices had already stopped, never stopping when the halls of lit castle had ended and the softness of the garden had welcomed her, never stopping even when the shrubs and the flowers tangled her ankles, almost begging her not to run. But she did.

She ran till her legs screamed in pain. She ran till her lungs refused to inhale, she ran till she saw white, she ran till nothing but only blur was there in her vision, she ran till her heart would finally give up, she ran till she heard the howls of beasts in the stomach of the forests, she ran till her voice of cry gave out.

She ran.

And then she fell.

Two strong arms took her waist, stopping her from cracking her skull open. How foolish she was to think that her saviour would have followed her here?

Her heart had always been the one to believe in the unreal, intangible, false hope. Her lips parted with a silent cry, a silent pray, the name of his dancing in the tip of her tongue, a shout to the world that she needed him.

But the voice of hers never came out and the fatigue hit her hard.

She hoped again.

She hoped to see the soft gold irises, the smooth silver silk. But instead, she saw violet orbs and raven tresses before her mind pulled her in to the pit of cold numbness, blackness and blankness.

~.~

A/N : wow i never thought i will be getting amazing reviews and suggestions :) Thanks a lot. I will surely make use of all the wonderful inputs. :)

I know its little sad, but what's a love story without a drama ? :)

Leave your thoughts in the box below :)


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

It was absolutely insane and undeniably stupid.

There was a whole table filled with rich decadents of mouth watering temptations, so sinfully arranged in a manner that would make anyone go weak in the knees and Inuyasha just couldn't understand as to why Miroku was sweating bullets _and_ pulling him to the other side of the castle, away from the party, away from all the food.

The hanyou decided that he would for sure sever all the connections that he had with his best friend for ruining the grand evening that was supposed to fill his rumbling tummy.

"Would you for one second stop the ridiculous pout and listen to me?" Miroku used his stern voice and Inuyasha raised his brow in response. There was an ugly crease in his friend's fore head, lines that duly conveyed the worry that he was harbouring, a worry that the second heir to the great demon Lord didn't seem to understand.

"I think Sesshomaru is upset" The fifteen year old informed and the youngest of the two rolled his eyes in an annoyance, sighed out loud before talking back in the bitterest tone known to him.

"Miroku, Sesshomaru is never non-upset. Didn't you know that at all?"

"This is different." Miroku hushed and Inuyasha followed his line of vision towards his brother. The usual cold look that manages to convey 'waste-even-a-minute-of-my-time-and-i-will-burn-you-in-to-ashes' was evidently missing. There was a loss in the depth of the yellow topaz, as if the God of the dark had devoured the light in his soul, as if the moon had wept and shied away in to the grey clouds, as if his heart drummed only for the sake of its duty, as if the purest of the silver had rusted and fallen prey to the edges of crimson.

The dragon princess, the heiress to the East, made her way towards the stoic heir of West, her eyes gleaming with hints of lust, with spirits of unspoken glee.

It was then, Inuyasha noticed that his brother was not in his usual self. The mindless wandering of the Princess's claws on his brother's hair spurred no reaction at all. The hanyou knew that his brother would mercilessly unleash his poisonous whip on anyone who dared to touch his pristine hair. (Anyone except for Kagome, of course). It was next to obvious that Sesshomaru was lost in a thought so deep and painful.

Inuyasha frowned, and his eyes made a hasty search for the cure. He sniffed once, twice, thrice before he grabbed Miroku and made his way towards the end of the castle to catch the trailing scent of his best friend.

~.~.~.~.~.~

The magnificent dome hall was drenched with the rarest of flowers, the drapes were from the richest silks, dancing along with the beats of mild breeze. Yet, the eyes of the heir never noticed the flowers, never took in the colours, nor the beauty, as his own world that he swore to cherish had left him, and withered to frost over. His vision blurred, breath flared and lips quivered, and his heart clenched inside his breast. Sesshomaru was in a state where he finally understood what it was like to be defeated, to fall, to succumb.

He felt numb and only when he felt the mild tug in his scalp, he came back to his senses, to the world where the reality was too tangible. He felt instantly dirty, the Dragon princess was almost clinging to him, desperate for his attention. A minute passed and he shrugged her off as rudely as possible, his anger and pain over his loss was reflected in the pits of his now red eyes, dark and dangerous.

He would have transformed, to satiate his beast, to roar away till the skies could quiver and tear, but a call from his sire tamed him down. He stood there before the lord, never bowing once.

"Sesshomaru, why is there a tiny fox in your room?" His father hissed and Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. He no longer cared if something is to happen to the orphaned fox, his world right now was in greyscale and all he wanted was to lie down or to engage in a serious spar that would tire him out, that would somehow empty the hot boiling anger inside him.

"It's _my_ room, it's none of your business" Sesshomaru said. His annoyance was at his peak and he cared very little about the punishment for talking back to the Lord in the middle of the ball chamber.

Inutaisho was taken back a little, while he knew that Sesshomaru is a kid who would never kneel down, he was also someone who knew his place and the hierarchy very well.

"Well, my son, it is still in my castle and it is very much my business" Inutaisho said, his eyes narrowing with that of a rightful King. He had enough of his teenage son's bratty attitude.

"Oh, my lord, it was me who placed the kit in our son's room in the first place" Inukimi came in, with a brilliant smile adorning her face. She had been in the midst of the conversation with the other royalties, boasting around on how beautiful her young Kagome is, but then she had felt a surge of power, wave of a broken soul, there was a definite tug in her heart and her smile had vanished.

She had rushed to Kagome's chambers only to find it empty, hoping all the way that she would stumble upon the human girl in her son's room. It came as a surprise to find a tiny fox sniffling in the corner of Sesshomaru's room. She had to unleash her authority as the Lady of the West to threaten the guards on to tell the story behind the little kitsune. No one was able to give her the perfect picture of what had happened, but the bits and pieces were coherent enough to give her an understanding of what really had happened.

Her heart instantly melted, almost thudding softly when she gathered the little green eyed baby in her arms. She coo-ed until the kid drifted off to the dream realm, placed him under the velvet blankets and continued her search of Kagome.

Her search was interrupted when she heard and felt a wave of fury from her mate and son, and the ongoing verbal spar was thus duly stopped by her intervention. She needed to find Kagome right now and any musings about the fox can wait. Her chest cringed on seeing the dark red tint on her son's eyes, the fading of their gold legacy was something that never sat well with her.

' _Something is terribly wrong'_ her inner consciousness whispered. She had a heavy feeling bubbling under her chest, her little master plan had not yet worked and she was beginning to think that maybe there was a little back fire.

"Inukimi, Why is there a -?" The Lord started his question and was interrupted by the announcer who announced the arrival of the human miko. He raised his brow in an arch and held his breath. The arrival of miko usually meant that there was an upcoming chaos. His eyes swam across the crowded palace, in search of his almost daughter.

"Where is Kagome?" He asked, his voice almost as soft as a touch of velvet. He got a eye roll from his eldest son, which itself was out of character. His heart fastened when he caught a rivulet of sweat rolling over his mate's skin.

' _Something is seriously out of place'_

"My Lord" Kikiyo bowed.

"Miko" He gave an acknowledging nod. His mate came by his side, to hold his hands. He briefly wondered, whether such an act was something he had subconsciously asked for, an act of reassurance, or was it something that his mate needed right now, an act of hope.

"I came here as fast as I could. What have you done?" The miko accused and the royal family were duly confused.

"Pa-pa, Kagome is missing, her scent trail ended in the middle of the forest" Inuyasha came in with a news that seemed to startle everyone.

Sesshomaru was equally worried, but the sixteen year old did a fine job of masking his worry.

"Stop worrying. She is old enough to be bride and she is old enough to take care of herself" He said, his tone was bitter, fuelled with nothing but broken petals.

"She is just a kid" Inukimi whispered, realisation was drawing on her iris and she could see clearly as to what was troubling her eldest. A little mis-calculation on her part, but she was sure she could set it all right with a talk.

"Can someone tell me what is going on?" The Lord was frustrated and he definitely didn't like the look on the human miko's face. Here he was, busy organising a suitor ball for his Kagome and somehow she had gone missing, not just the regular 'she-got-lost', but he felt as if something that should not be tampered with is being unleashed. His fur bristled and his calculative gaze was towards his mate, silently asking her the reason for Kagome's run out.

"Wow, you are pretty" Inuyasha walked up to Kikiyo and touched her ending trail of black. Her eyes grew in size, and she visibly took a step back from the grinning hanyou who looked like he had found the key to the room full of treat.

"Um, excuse my youngest" Inukimi cleared her throat and pulled Inuyasha by his puppy ears. He yelped and Miroku grinned.

Sesshomaru smacked his brother's head and looked at the miko again. She hasn't aged a bit and he could see that she looked exactly the same as she was all those years back. His naturally curious mind was genuinely intrigued and before he could question further, the miko spoke up.

"Kagome is in danger. I have been looking out for her, for the past one year, I have been reading her stars and have completed mapping her horoscope. Today is a day that marks a huge blackout in my reading. I came running as soon as I can, but I am too late. I can feel that the evil has unleashed on its own and it has its claws on Kagome already. What have you done? Why has she willingly gone away from the castle? I tried conjuring her back, but my miko powers are being burnt. It's as if she is unwilling to come back" The miko explained and grunted when her powers slapped her back. The blush of azure vapours curled around her finger, unwilling to part from their mistress.

"What do you mean by black out?" Sesshomaru asked, his facade of being indifferent was cracking and his claws clipped in an unspoken anger.

"What do you mean by - she has left the castle willingly?" the Lord put forth his question in a panic. His hold on the Lady's palm tightened and she flinched, not from the pain, but from the worry that had encased upon them.

"The stars of each day represent the outline of one's day. Today, there has been a complete mess up, the pattern of her star is grossly wrong and I'm unable to foresee her future. It's as if there is a complete black paint spilled over her days in future. It happens only when someone dies, or worse, someone is turned in to a vessel" The miko answered.

"Vessel?" the hanyou wondered out loud.

"Yes, a vessel, where her soul is annihilated and is replaced by someone else's. She becomes a vessel for a living soul of someone's"

"Miko, Sorry for my interruption. But, what made you to study Kagome's stars?" Miroku asked out of blue. He had been wondering as to what made the miko to look on to Kagome's life. While he is genuinely pleased and happy that there is someone powerful looking out for his best friend, he was also equally worried as to what made her, or gave rights to study Kagome's star.

Kikiyo took a deep breath. They were seriously running out of the time and while she is obviously duty bounded to answer to their questions, this was not the time for a chit chat.

"As I said years back, she is my incarnation. She is here for a reason and if we waste even a quarter of a minute without any endeavours to search for her, her reason for existing may become void and she will not be one of us again" The miko whispered and everyone stilled.

"Sesshomaru, I'm so sorry" Inukimi said in a voice so soft, so broken all of a sudden. Her eyes had no white and it was as if the gold had turned pink from bleeding. Her lashes were wet, unspoken fear and guilt resided in the tip of those drenched streaks.

"For what, mother?" he whispered, afraid to ask further. His fur was quivering, from a threatening anger, from fright and from the pain of loss. He didn't care, he didn't care if her heart beats for someone else, he didn't care if she is destined to live with someone else, tugged under the fur of some male. All he cared for now is to see her safe, see her breath, see her unhurt.

"The ball was my fault. She loves you and only you. I played along, manipulated you and your father to see you rise up, to hear you finally accept that you love her, that you would get down on your knee and carry her to the moon, to see you finally smile and laugh with her. I'm so sorry my son." She whispered and his wall of chest stilled from the impact of a loud thud.

There was a pulse of raw pain, a ripple of a disrupted roar, a cry that transcended the gates of heaven and hell itself. The world shook, shivered under the pain of a broken heart. The skies tore and the rush of torrents never soothed the ache of burn that Sesshomaru felt.

He remembered her blue silk, her painted cheek, her look of goddess like a touch of miracle, he had broke her, made her cry, made her grieve and it was all his to blame. He shouldn't have believed other's words, he lacked the trust, his judgement on her was wrong. It was his fault that she ran out of the castle, it was his fault that she thinks she is unwelcomed in her own home. Silly girl, doesn't she know that she is his heart, that he lives for her?

The guilt was enormous, heavy and he fell down on the hard earth to pound away his loss. Even the edges of rust wouldn't hurt him as deep as the truth. The twinge in his heart was almost breaking its way out, and he could feel the pricks of saline in the rim of his eyes.

 _My Kagome.._

"Sesshomaru, come on, let's search for Kagome" Inuyasha whispered, hugged the shaking shoulders of his brother, only to be pushed aside roughly.

"She will be fine" He roared and the palace vibrated under his voice. It was a silent vow and he glared above as a threat to the stars and Gods, if anything is to happen to his Kagome, he would travel to the depth of the realms to thrash out the thrones of the Gods.

"We need to hurry" The miko urged and the Royal family agreed with a nod.

"Let me come too" The wolf price said, his eyes had the same fury, and for once Sesshomaru didn't push him aside. The dragon prince and the King too came forward to give an aid to the Inu family. An ally was formed and they headed out in search for their lost happiness.

"Miko, do you have any clue as to what would have happened?" Miroku asked when they were about to leave the floors of marbles.

"I hope I'm wrong. But it seems like she maybe with Naraku now" She whispered back and the Lord halted in his steps.

"Naraku – the half demon?" He asked, his face had gone white and a sheen of swear was bleeding in his temple.

"Yes" The miko answered and moved ahead, towards the dense forest, her vapours of blue hissed and curled around her palm.

"My son, we need to hurry" The Lord said, his voice was stoic, and lacked the usual boom. The shine of the moon paled visibly, drowning in the shadows of the darkest sky, the glitter of the stars were curled and lost in the onyx folds.

"Father, who is Naraku?" Sesshomaru asked, his steps were fast and heavy.

The Inu Lord stopped for a second, his nose flared, his armour and blades tucked in its destined places, waiting to be mercilessly unleashed, his shoulder shook with righteous anger, with a tremor that none of his family had seen before.

He spoke with a venomous voice, vengeance spilling with each syllable.

"Naraku? – He will be a dead being when the Sun rises to claim its place in East by tomorrow morning"

~.~.~.~.~

A/N : First of all, I would like to apologise for the long break.

There was Dussera, and then Diwali, festivals that are celebrated in a super grand scale over here.

And then my laptop broke and then my knee broke..

There would be a regular update once I get a new laptop, which will be pretty soon.

Hope you have all been well. Please do let me know about this update:)

Love you all !


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

She could feel the intensity of his gaze on the back of her neck, his unvoiced hatred towards her burnt the delicate skin of hers, as if his look alone would be enough to set her sins on a hungry inferno. She felt helpless and she could only hope that her son would have the heart to forgive her, for being the catalyst of this unfortunate chaos, it was something that can never be taken back. It was never her intention, but nevertheless, she had been the reason for things to have unfolded in this way.

Each step that the group took towards the dense forest was heavy and calculated, precise and harsh. The panic was thick, self-imposed and it coated them along with a sense of disparity. Inukimi could bear no more and a little choke, almost close to a sob escaped from her painted lips along with her breath, a wordless plea in a vain attempt to ease her pain in the chest.

"It's not your fault" Her mate pressed and his voice bore the guilt, the same guilt that had preyed on her soul. She wanted to believe his words, to seek at least an ounce of comfort from his statement, but her heart only wept more. The churn under the base of her ribs pulled her down and she was so close in succumbing to the sorrow. But she didn't, she knew she had to stay strong, fake an aura of power, if not, it will burden her son, he will lose the light of his life, lose his hope in finding her. And so, with a deep breath, she proceeded further along with her family.

Sesshomaru had his vision set straight, cold and piercing. The howl of the night did nothing to falter his steps towards the darkness of the forest, the shadows of the trees were bitter reminder of the tongue lashes that he had given to Kagome. His blood boiled all over again when he replayed the memories of her broken stare. How foolish he was to think otherwise? His palm fisted and his claws dug deep in to his skin, leaving a perfect dent in his otherwise scar-less hand.

He could not hate his mother, but it stung hard, her actions weren't intentional and he knew that, yet, it was enough to drain his hope, to bring him down in a shadow of coldness with nothing warm to wrap around him. He was the one to be blamed for, for being shallow enough, for not trusting his own instincts, for being weak enough to get played with. He was musing over what he had been reduced to, to grovel and to let down his pride and shed tears. The air around him rippled, tints of anger and sadness danced with a might. The fury inside his bones was beginning to stomach his bitter feelings, to turn all the hatred towards the one called Naraku, the one who had enough audacity to even lay his finger on her.

' _Mine'_ His heart roared, bled and wept.

He didn't care anymore, what was he thinking? What was his sire thinking, organizing a ball for a human girl. Doesn't he know how harmful it was for a human to be with any demon, or did he so easily forget the pitiful sufferings met by Inuyasha's mother?

His line of vision dipped towards his left, on the human, the one who had been raised enough to be called as a companion, the one who was treated almost in par with the royal, the one who was faithful enough to be let in to all the family gatherings.

' _Maybe he could keep her safe, love her, marry her, give her a child that she could love and cuddle'_ He thought bitterly. Miroku felt a cold gaze on him and he shifted uneasily, to hover next to Inuyasha. It wasn't just a saying that he was born with an alarming self-preservation. He didn't know why, but Miroku's skin crawled in and he felt as if he had been sentenced to death, and to think that everything was just felt from a cold piercing glare of certain ice prince was striking.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, cursed the actions of the tiny human who took in a cover next to an idiot and that was when he noticed the stupid grin on his half brother's face, his eyes fixated on the priestess, as if she held the center of his universe.

' _Great, now isn't that wonderful? My little brother is smitten with the miko who almost looks like Kagome'_ The teenager thought with an audible huff.

"Miko, what else do you know?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice was devoid of any quiver and he was thankful for the years of practice that his father had put him to, the patience to analyze everything, the art of precision and the ability to draw out rational conclusions. It stuck him odd, the way the miko had dropped in out of nowhere after nearly half a decade. She looked the same, as if the brushes of age never touched her.

"I have told everything that I know of" She said, her voice was cold and equally calculative, guarded.

"Have you?" His Sire asked and it didn't take a sharp look to notice the falter in her path.

"Miko, do tell us. What exactly is going on?" Inukimi pressed. She had done enough, by tempting the fate and she wanted nothing but the truth, no more spinning of lies. She wanted her Kagome to be safe and sound.

"You know enough." The young miko in white said and continued down the narrow path.

"Miko" Sesshomaru hissed and Inuyasha frowned at the sudden change in his brother's demeanor. The twelve year old didn't like the way his brother addressed the lady, the one who had according to the hanyou, descended from the heaven itself, to help them.

There was a tangible sigh from the priestess and she closed her eyes, to finally tell them something that they shouldn't probably know.

"Earlier, I told you that I looked in to her horoscope. It was a lie" She began.

"I knew it. To look in to someone's horoscope, you need to know the exact time and date of the birth." Miroku said and earned a glare from Sesshomaru that promptly shut him up.

' _That's two death stares in less than an hour. Someone above hates me to the core'_ Miroku's mind cursed.

"Yes, I spent a good amount of time, to unwrap the mystery behind my incarnation. Midoriko helped me to look in to _things_ that were buried along the pages of time itself. Everything that happens is already inked, prophesied and it branches out with the decisions that we take," Kikiyo paused for a minute to let the information sink in.

"As I said, it is impossible for Kagome to belong to this time line when I am still alive and breathing. Her birth is for a cause and there was a mess up in the timeline, the mirrors in the universe was tampered with and so she is here, where she isn't supposed to be. The reason for her existence is thus unfulfilled, but Midoriko is convinced that everything happens for a reason and that maybe the timeline and the universe that she belongs to would have changed without her, adapted and survived."

"What do you mean by 'Universe that she belongs to'?" Miroku asked, his eyes shone with curiosity under the moon's light.

"There are many as ours, we call it the 'mirrors of universe', it has the same worlds, same gods, same humans and demons as this one does, with minor changes, subtle ones, the 'what if' scenarios plays out in these different universe. Kagome belongs to a different universe, because the Kagome of this world, hasn't born yet and would never be if there is someone with her soul already walking. Midoriko knows complicated spells and her vision is not limited like ours, it was she who made me look in to a world similar to ours, where things were rather different."

"How different?" Sesshomaru asked, the puzzle was still unsolved and he hates when a question hangs in the ether.

"Different in many ways. It's still a mystery on how exactly the mirrors works, but our actions are not just mere reflection of our counter parts in different continuum, it's much more, much deeper. In one such look out, things played differently, as in.." Kikiyo trailed out, her voice shivered and Inuyasha was by her side, almost like a pull, he took her palms in his, a gentle press was all it needed to comfort her.

"As in, I saw me, us, everyone that I know of in that universe, far too different. It wasn't exactly a close knit family as you have in this universe. Inutaisho dies protecting his human mate, Inuyasha grows up in a bitter environment, where he is hated for who he is, Sesshomaru grows to be a cold prince, he loses his arm in a fight with his brother, over a fang, tames a bit, takes in a ward and allies with his brother against a common enemy." Kikiyo summarizes, leaving the parts of her own heart break, her sufferings', her revival and her second death.

"And Kagome?" The sixteen year old presses more, he could feel the pout forming in his face, the one that was too uncharacteristic for him, but he was desperate for an answer, desperate to know whether 'the-not-his-Kagome' had an happy life.

"She travels back and forth. There too, she is a time traveller, but something of my past bounds her to the time line of yours and Inuyasha's. She was a miko too, the one with the kind heart, the one with the purest soul, the one more like the Kagome we know." Kikiyo spills out softly, the strain in her voice was subtle, but it wasn't missed by the demon family.

"I die?" Inutaisho asked with a huff.

"You were a great warrior who was revered" Kikiyo said, her head declined a bit, to offer the due respect. The visions of his grave from the alternate universe flooded her mind, the spells that Midoriko casted was vivid enough and everything felt almost tangible. She could still feel the warmth of the twelve year old by her side, the one who would probably grow up and claim her heart in the years to come by. A tiny hope fluttered in the corner of her chest that whispered that maybe in this timeline, in this universe, she may survive without a heart break.

She considered herself lucky, luckier than her counterpart at least. The responsibility of the gem was not hers in this universe, Midoriko held the power, the job to protect the gem. Even though Kikiyo was still puzzled over the fact on why she never gained a year in her age, she was content to know that fate has been a little kind.

"What about me?" Miroku asked, his face was etched in a perfect frown, the feeling of left out was well painted in the child's deep blue eyes.

"You bore a curse, a curse in your hand. But then, as the years passed by, you met Inuyasha, met a certain girl, had a new purpose and everything was solved" The miko said with a smile on her lips. She was curious to see how his life will turnout to be, to see whether the demon slayer will make an appearance in this timeline.

"Hn" Sesshomaru hummed. His eyes never once left the path in front of him. He could see that the miko had left out certain details, maybe those were the details that should not be known. From the looks of it, Sesshomaru felt as if Kagome had a life that she loved and cherished. He didn't care how things were in the timeline that sounded so foreign and distanced to him, he didn't care that he had fought his own brother and lost an arm, it didn't irk him. He felt the little flutter of warmth in the depth of his chest. He was glad that his sire didn't die, he was glad that his brother wasn't his arch rival, he was glad he wasn't the one that the miko described.

His thoughts traced back to the evening, where Kagome had found the little fox. A pang tugged his heart, he had abandon the little kitsune in the palace, just like he had lost Kagome against petty thoughts. He was ashamed and he hoped for the millionth time that his little human girl was safe. The teenage heir was distressed, frantic and he vowed that he would never rest until his arms were around her shoulders, around her little arms. He would never rest until he could pull her closer, closer to him, closer to his heart. And for that to happen, he swore on his royal lineage that he would be a better person and maybe then, fate would bring her back to him, someone that she deserves.

' _And maybe I would be kind enough to give the role of my assistant to an imp'_ he thought with a smirk and moved on towards the direction his heart tugged in.

~.~.~

 _Silver._

It was the first thing that came to her mind when it swam away from the pool of cold blackness. She heard the chirps of birds, the birds that she knew that didn't belong to her home. Her head hurt and she couldn't address the point of ache, it was as if every fiber, every tissue of hers were burning. The luster of silver puller her back to a surface, to a shore.

 _Gold._

Her vision was dark and she knew her eyelids are yet to open, but her heart yearned for the warmth of gold among the coldness. The light grains of yellow filled her thoughts, it made her smile.

 _Violet._

Her palm reached out, as if on cue, to touch the stripes that framed his jaws, the feel of those velvet patches still lingered in the tips of her fingers and she smiled yet again.

"I am touched. Miko, for you to think am worthy enough to be graced by your fingertips" She heard a voice that jolted her from the blackness. Her lids flew open and she could see the hues of purple in his eyes, the one that spilled of glee and she knew that she was in a place that she didn't belong. Her heart drummed, her frame shivered, her fingers recoiled with disgust and her lips could utter only his name.

"Sesshomaru" She called out, but her voice was drowned among the laughs that the man in front of her let out.

"He will never come for you" He said and somehow those words hit her hard than any blows.

~.~.~

A/N : A very short update after a very long break. My apologies..

I hope the chapter isn't too confusing.

Leave a review : )


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

It didn't come as a surprise to hear the familiar growl somewhere deep in the forest. What surprised her was that, it came almost immediately, even before she could blink, even before she could inhale a lung full of damp air from the impact of calling out, even before a whole second of time could pass by to its grave. She had lost hope, decided that it was just a wishful thinking to even call his name again and it was just out of an instinct, like an old habit, her lips had his name already dancing in its edges, the only word that her mind could process and come up with. The winds, the trees, the leaves had taken pity on her, either that, or they didn't want to face the wrath of the heir of the demon lord. They carried her muffled cry, her last hope, her last plea of desperation towards the group that was travelling to the deepest forest in search of her, towards her intended saviour.

The growl had the necessary threat, the war cry that shook the earth itself and Kagome almost smiled with a start, her heart fluttered, her eyes twinkled with unshed tears of misery. The lump in her throat eroded ever so lightly and her light in the distance grew, glowed and the resulting luminance embraced her aura with a lick of power. She would have bowed in a complete reverence, if not for the cursed demon who had her pinned under his arms.

She was in awe once more to see him transform in to the mighty demon with the rain of silver. His tail alone was enough to result in a massacre and for the millionth time, she couldn't fathom on what made her too lucky, to have him by her side, to have him come running to her aid.

Kagome could see Inuyasha narrowing his eyes towards the half demon that held her captive, his eyes had a strange hue of red, a low rumble in synonym with a growl vibrated through him and Kagome could see the priestess, silently pulling Inuyahsa's sleeves, to bring him back from the strange stance.

"Naraku, hand over her, or you will face my wrath" Inutaisho threatened. He didn't transform, but his humanoid form alone was enough to show that the Inu Lord was having a hard time to control the fury that was burning within him. No one messes his family and lives, it was well implied.

"Your wrath?" The half demon laughed, and his sick tone sent specs of shiver down her skin. Her throat burned, her eyes watered, her family was out there for her and she was scared that she may have brought them to a grave danger. She could see the struggle of Miroku and the priestess, in keeping Inuyasha down, his teeth cracked out of force and lines of fury marked his cheeks.

She was scared.

The howls of the sky grew, a streak of silver blue lightning cracked above, the leaves were the silent martyr, they shed from their branches just from the vibrations of the growls alone and it frightened her more.

"Why do you keep her as capitive?" The miko in red and white asked, her tone straight, sharp and directed towards the ebony demon.

"You know why" He whispered, yet his voice was clear as crystal. Sesshomaru could take it no more, his patience was next to vapour and he wanted nothing more than to kill the one that dared to tuck his Kagome under his arms.

"I know enough to say that you are wrong. She doesn't poses the power you seek for, maybe she did in a dimension that is far from this, but she is an innocent kid and I suggest you leave her alone and ask for forgiveness" Kikiyo said.

"I see you have a great sense of humour" Naraku scoffed and gave out a smirk. The sharpness of his nails dug in to her skin, Kagome flinched when his breath danced across the expanse of her curved shoulder.

"Give me back my daughter, you dark demon" Inukimi shouted, her eyes narrowed and under the night's sky, beneath the moon's shine she looked like a Goddess, the halo of silver made her surreal. Her heart drummed aloud for the girl, for the soul that had brought so much of happiness to her family.

There was no way that she would live if something is to happen to that girl. The little one who had entered their family as just a pet, had grew along, proved her worth, paved a way in to their hearts and rooted herself strong. Inukimi had made mistakes, she had forced upon an unfortunate chaos, but she will never sit and brood for her mistakes. It was hers, and now it was the time to write her wrongs right.

She moved forward in a rush, in a beat, in a roar and a line of raven ribbon hit her chest. It all happened in a second, the Lady of Inu fell down in a force, her chest bleeding and her eyes fading.

Three roars of pure pain and anger tore the ether, a siren for hell bringer, a promise to end the breath of the dark demon that had brought the mother of West to her knees, that had prisoned their beloved princess, that had robbed them away the happiness, the reason of their existence.

An ineffable inferno ignited somewhere deep within Kagome and it pained, burned her veins. Her chest cringed, her eyes flooded with tears of blood, her scream was lost in the howls, among the angst and mourns of the Inu Lord, among the loud cry of Inuyasha.

She was Kagome's mother, her friend, her guardian and her Lady. Her family was shattered in a second because of her, because of her foolishness to run away from the home that had raised her up. She was sinned, she was cursed and she thought that she didn't deserve to be loved.

Kagome screamed with pain, from an ache that promised to never let go, from a sorrow that willed itself to etch forever in her bones. She pleaded in silent cries to the heaven, to take her in, to rob her life instead of Inukimi's, to have her soul in the death bed in place of the West's Lady.

The earth under her shook, she could see the white demon with violet crescent running the expanse, towards them, towards her with a killer look drenching in his eyes, with a will to drink the blood of the one that had dared to hurt his mother, that had guts to even stand in the same land as him. She knew she will be safe in few minutes, no one can defeat her Sesshomaru, but the knowledge didn't give her any sort of comfort. She didn't want to be safe, she wanted to be gone, to disappear with the winds itself, to soar away and to not exist in the land of living. The burning fire in her blood caused her more pain than she had ever felt and she felt that she deserved the cruelty of pain more than anyone else.

The air shifted, her fingers curled with a mist, hues of violet smoke steamed from her digits, her chest cringed, her insides welled up and the last thing she could hear was her own scream, deafening everything, numbing the blinding pain in her chest and then the tumbling blackness embraced her with open arms.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

There was something that was wrapped warm around her, something that was so familiar, something that defined as her own. Her vision was blurry, her eyes were still adjusting to the dim light that the nearby fire was emitting. She could almost hear the soft hiss, the dying melody of the damp timber, the last of its essence dancing in a smoke, to give out the warmth, a light to the dark.

And that's when it striked her, the reality, the happenings came rushing to her head. She sat up and her finger curled in a thick fur, the silver pelt of her Sesshomaru. Her eyes travelled across, in a search, in a plight to see the Lady.

"I'm fine Kagome" Inukimi coughed from nearby, a voice so strained and light. Her whole frame was covered by Inutaisho's pelt.

"But I saw.." She started.

"It would really take a lot to kill me, my dearest. A thin power stream from a puny demon wouldn't do much" The Lady said, in a week attempt to earn a smile.

"Where is he anyway?" Kagome asked, looking around. She knew that Inutaisho and Sesshomaru would have by now burnt even the smallest of remains of the half demon that had threatened their family.

"Oh, he is the pile of ash that is near you" Inuyasha grinned and gave a thumps up. She slouched a bit more against Sesshomaru, trying to drown in to his arms. His eyes were yet to reach hers, his arms were around her, but she still felt his aloofness and it worried her.

"Oh.. you could have just hurt him or broke him. I mean, with the Lady and me fine, you didn't have to kill him" She said, her voice was too low, almost like a whisper.

"What are you talking about? You burning him with a flick of your palm Kagome" Miroku said and earned a death glare from Sesshomaru.

"What?" Miroku asked, wondering why he was in the receiving end of the stare.

"What?" Kagome asked, looking down at her palm, her tips were burnt, ripped of skin and she shuddered.

"Nothing Kagome" Sesshomaru consoled her, his arms tightening around her frame, his nose rubbing across her temple, his fingers drawing loose circles of comfort along her back. She looked up, to see him, to see the truth in his words, but his golden eyes were yet to grace her.

She shivered and that was when his eyes met hers. And she saw herself, her reflection in his golden sheen, a monster.

"No baby" He whispered and her fear increased a notch.

"You purified Naraku and tuned him in to ashes" The miko who was beside Inuyasha said.

The world around her tumbled down when she heard those words. She had killed someone so powerful, so mighty. She had committed a murder.

"I..I.." She whispered.

"You are safe now" He consoled.

She shook her head, her palm fisted, afraid to let her finger lose. She could still feel the lingering burn of the violet mist in her veins. She shuddered once more, before she stood up in a flash.

"Stay away from me" She screamed. Her fisted palm was against her heart, within the confines of her frame, trying hard not to grab the palms of her loved one,

"Kagome" He looked up, confused.

"No, all of you, stay away from me. I may hurt you" She whispered, a single drop of saline rolled down her face.

"No, you won't, my dear. Don't you see? You saved us all. You didn't need our help" The Lord said, pride swinging in his eyes.

"No" She said again. Her line of vision landed across the pile of smoking ash and her nails dug further in to her palm.

"Kagome. Don't" Sesshomaru asked, commanded, pleaded. He could read her as easily as ever. He could see how her thoughts were now irrational and frightened. She was powerful, more powerful than the trained miko in white, maybe almost in par with himself, but he knew she would never hurt him, she would never purify him and he wanted to shout out loud on how her fear was just too stupid.

"Come home my baby girl" Inukimi said, her smile was genuine and after a really long time, Kagome could see that she wasn't really hated and unwanted like she had thought hours ago. Her body ached, her knees were in the verge of giving up but she was still unsure of the rapid ball of energy that had apparently curled from her palms. She was scared of what she might do to them, of what she possessed and how to control them.

"Ka-go-me, stop staring like a moron and come home. We lost the idiot wolf and the dragon demon on the way. It would take hours before we find them and head back to the castle. So stop sulking and don't you _dare_ to boast around that you got to kill the ugly bad man." Inuaysha groaned and got a prompt hit on his head from Miroku.

She smiled a bit and then a small giggle escaped from her lips when Inuyasha got another from the priestess.

Sesshomaru almost bit down his smile, the small bubble on his chest rose and swelled inside his heart on hearing her giggle.

"I can stay in the lands of West and train you. I can teach you to control your powers" Kikiyo offered and Inuyasha couldn't stop the giddy smile. His tiny fluffy ears perked up and his large golden eyes almost pleaded with Kagome to accept the offer.

"Come home Kagome. After all, Shippo is waiting for us" He murmered.

"Shippo?"

"Oh, I named the baby fox." Inukimi smiled and chirped along. Her heart was at ease, the small scar that she bore on her chest was ugly, yet the one that had reunited her family.

"Um, I'm sorry for sneaking him in" Kagome squeaked, redness tinted her cheeks and she looked even more adorable. Her path looked brightened, awaiting and promising.

She was once a pet and now she was much more, she was worth fighting for, she was worth a rebellion, she was worth everything that he had and will have in his life. And when the time comes, he will allow her to make her choices, to choose the life that she wishes for, to choose a mate that she yearns for. He will let her go, even if his heart would stand still, he will let her go. But for now, he was gonna hold her tight, he will be her friend, her protector and her light.

Sesshomaru took her palm in his, his pet curled her waist and pulled her towards the direction of the Western castle where the moon sung blessings every night and where the stars dazzle them to a land of tranquillity.

~.~.~.~

A/N – Oh My poor Sesshomaru, when are you gonna see that she is hopelessly in love with you too?!

Leave a review! : )


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The whispers in the air stirred her from the land of dreams. The flickers of flame in the corner of her chamber was comforting, warm enough to earn a sigh of content from her, and it sounded more like a symphony to his ears, the rhythm alone had the ability to ease his worries, to lift him up from the shackles of misery that he was tied to. He had refused to let her out of his sight again and this time, his parents seemed to let him take his own decisions.

He could sense that she was awake, she was away from the hands of deep slumber, yet, she feigned as if she was unaware of his presence in the depth of her room, as if he would leave her to her own troubles if she refused to wake up, as if he would be tired of waiting under her roof if she continues to bury her head under the silk duvets.

He chuckled ever so lightly, shook his head at her childish, innocent game, but then, she was still a child, younger than him, the one who kept drawing troubles like a magnet, luring death like a dark angel. He could smell the tension she harboured, the thoughts in her mind were lurking around in a never-ending maze and it nerved him to the core that he couldn't offer a semblance of peace to his Kagome, the girl who had managed to bring the light and so much warmth in his otherwise devilish life.

Her tiny brows furrowed a bit and Sesshomaru decided that he hated those frown lines that etched her perfect face. His digits itched to trace them, to ease her, to make them disappear, but he wouldn't.

He had noticed her fear, her doubts in her ability to control the raw power that drummed through her veins. She was unaware that the fear was stupid and that never in the seventh hell she would hurt her loved ones. The night that they returned to the castle was a clear picture of her doubts. She had been beyond happy to see the little red fox waiting for her. The cub had squealed in an absolute delight on seeing her, he had jumped across the expanse of the room to embrace her, to be comforted in her arms and that was when she hid behind the tall doors, as if her grace alone would turn the kid in to a smoking pile of ashes. She had refused to touch the little fox ever since, she smiles at him, her yearning to stroke the red mane of the fox was too evident, but she shivered in fear of hurting him.

A whole new definition for absolute stupidity and ridiculous assumption, that was what it is.

It has been two days, and she had refused to come out of her chamber. Her maids tried prying her off the royal bed, to give her a bath in richest oils, but she denied, curled herself amid silk drapes in the bed and never moved.

Sesshomaru had growled at the untouched fruits piled in the copper plates and it was the anger in his eyes that had knocked some senses in her. She bit her lip, stretched her limb and took a single ripe apple to fill her stomach.

And that was it. End of her meal and the silver haired dog had to bite his tongue from asking her to open her lips so that he could stuff some more of the handpicked fruits in her mouth.

Kagome had then mumbled a silent apology, that had reached his sharp ears. The Western Heir wanted to shake her shoulders, to yell at her that it wasn't her fault, but one look at her troubled face was enough to distance himself, to move farther away from her broken piece. He would be in her room, to show her that he would always be there, to tell her that he would never lose her to anything that was dark. He respected her foolish wishes and refused to go anywhere near her. He was there for her, sitting in the lush fur that was laid across her room, unmoving, like a stone carved deity, his chin high in the air, his eyes never leaving hers.

She hugged her frame again, her dark thoughts returned and she curled her tiny fingers in to a fist. It dug deep in to her palm, her nails engraving crescent shaped dips. Her whole frame quivered and a single tear left it confines, leaving a salty trail.

He hissed, a small growl vibrated through the well lit chamber as he inhaled the air infused with the pain of hers, this time it smelt of guilt more than fear and he was in the edge of his patience.

"Sesshomaru, please, let me grieve alone"

"There is nothing to grieve for" He said, his voice embraced her like a comforting caress, velvet and smooth, warm and safe, semblance of home itself.

"Leave me alone" She whispered, her plea flowing in the air, her voice too soft and vulnerable. She felt that she didn't deserve all the kindness that was showered on her. She brought and still brings danger to her family and it nerved her to the core that they don't see how dangerous she was.

It awoke something deep inside him, a twinge in the middle of his chest craved to grant her request. He was equally lost and confused, rationality seemed to leave him often when it came to fulfilling her wishes.

He hated this new churn in the pit of his stomach when he got up to leave her alone to the haunting thoughts. A year back, he would have been adamant, he would have thrashed out, growled at her stupidity and stayed in, much against her request. But something had changed and the teenage prince couldn't fathom whether it was for good or worse.

One last longing look at her crumbled frame made his heart dip and he moved, lifeless, leaving his soul behind as her only guard.

~.~.~

The sand grains in the big round dented glass showed that it was more than an hour since she moved, and Inuyasha was in his toes, waiting as patient as he could. The breeze did more than just its job, curling her raven tress that was unusually untied, for once. The twelve-year-old tried his best not to make any sound while she was meditating, performing a dance of silence, it was almost like an art, the small perfect palm of hers curved in its own position each time she shifted from meditation to a form of précised practice of defence.

Her eyes were closed but the Hanyou could imagine the fire that would burn in the depth of her dark iris. The spirit of her soul was always perched in her eyes, too loud and hard to ignore, rippling in the tips of her lashes. It was lulling, hypnotizing and strangely addictive. Inuyasha was hanging to what seemed like a new-found anchor, it was different and more strong, something foreign and totally irrational. The invisible string in his heart tugged him when she smiled, as if she held a secret deep down and he was dying to know the reason for the gentle heart-warming curve in her lips. It tickled him to no ends and the tiny cone shaped ear in his silver mane twitched in an ineffable delight.

"Inuyasha.." She called, her voice too soft yet too sharp.

"Yikes" He jumped, surprised that she had known he was here, hiding all along. It made him smile, grin like a child who got caught stealing candies.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her eyes were still closed and he walked towards her, her smile too blinding and beautiful.

"Um, how did you know I was here?" The twelve year old asked, crazy to know her secret.

"A good miko is always aware of her surroundings" She answered and _finally_ opened her eyes.

"Then you really are a good miko" He said, a small streak of red tinted his cheeks. Her tawny iris twinkled under the graceful rays of the golden sun and he was duly awed at her fresh aroma, something of wild lilies filled his lungs.

"So, what are you doing here?" She repeated her question and the young hanyou straightened his back, ready to finish the mission that he came for.

"I know you are here to help Kagome. But she never comes out of her room. Why can't you go and talk to her?"

"I would, but who would she listen to? Me or you?" Kikiyo asked.

"Uh, What?"

"Inuyasha, she is scared, scared that she would end up purifying her family and she wouldn't stop being scared unless she realises that it is not the truth." The miko said, her face raised in deep thoughts, as if her mind was in the brim of endless riddles.

"Well, that's just plain stupid. She will never hurt me" Inuyasha said, scratching his head, pointing out something that was next to obvious in Kikiyo's eyes.

"Hm, maybe we just have to give a little bit of demonstration. So, are you ready?" She asked, a phantom of smirk painted her face and Inuyasha could feel that something is about to change, he nodded, unaware of the turn of events that waited patiently.

~.~.~

He brooded and he could only stare so hard at the skies that threatened to growl back as it swallowed the Sun and spewed the silvery hues of pale moon. It was endless, the pit that he seemed to have fallen in to. She was unyielding and it frustrated him, he wanted answers and the miko who vowed to help was out there, sitting idle. Each thud of his heart was deep, and it was as if his life was dipped in a scale of grey that denied anything of remote happiness.

He could only take so much, the soft mumble of his adopted son lingered in the air, the heaviness of Kagome's mood rained above his head and he had to curl his claws in the fear of unleashing his anger.

He raised from his sitting spot, determined to give an earful to Kikiyo, demand her presence in fishing out Kagome from the ocean of self-pity.

"Save the angry thoughts little Lord, I am here to do what is to be done" Kikiyo entered the marble balcony and he hissed at her.

"Am not anything that synonyms with little, miko" Sesshomaru said, his golden eyes well narrowed and his chin raised in a sharp turn.

"Hm" She said and walks forward, Inuyasha was close behind her, his eyes had a mist of glitter and an ineffable happiness that made him smile like an idiot.

"Idiot" Sesshomaru said, his voice a little louder.

"Stupid" The hanyou called back and made a face.

"Kids" The miko scolded and the heirs gave her a disgusting look that made her to smirk. It was more fun to pull their legs, she could sense that their trust runs deep, yet the childish sibling rivalry was equally strong, it made her want to stay and witness the blissful turn of events that this dimension promised.

Her thoughts were particularly focused on the young half demon these days. She knew that she had been in love with the grown up version of Inuyasha in the other timeline, but she could only look at him as a kid, a friend now and anything more than that just seemed plain vulgar. She knew the truth, the truth behind the ageless skin that covered her bones, it had confused her, made her nearly insane until she learned to accept the things as it is.

It was unnatural to live in a parody where her incarnation also lives. It seemed as if Kikiyo's time had stopped with a big thud when the fates realised that there were two souls of equal vibrations. It was Mirodiko's theory, that Kikiyo's biological clock had stopped, and will restart again when Kagome reaches the present age of Kikiyo, something to do with balance of nature. It had been a news that had shook her very spine, but then Kikiyo had learnt to see the things from a different angle, it all made sense now.

Maybe she will fall in love with the half demon when he grows up, maybe she will be a bit chirpier than she was with Kagome around. That girl seemed to bring the best out of everyone and Kikiyo could only hope that maybe destiny was much kinder now, giving her a new life to live and love.

An hour of meditation had helped her to clear her mind, her new purpose in this dimension was probably to teach Kagome, show the little girl how to embrace her power. With Mirodiko alive and strong, the jewel is safe, Kagome had just been a missed-out accident, an oversight by the Gods while drafting up the chains of time and fate, but nevertheless, it was the best accident, Kagome to end up in this timeline, in this dimension, Kikiyo had a new purpose that she may live up for. Her face softened a bit, to realise that things aren't that bad as it seemed to be. There is hope and there will always be light around, to grace them all up and show their way.

"What are you smiling about? You look like a moron to smile without a reason" Sesshomaru said, his voice low and tensed.

"Hey! She is not a moron, you are" The youngest one came back, biting down a bark.

"Shh!" Kikiyo shh-ed them up when they took the right in the corner to reach the little girl's door.

"Don't Shh me!" The teenage heir hissed with sprouts of contained anger, his fang peeked out and Kikyo couldn't help but rile up the heir further.

"Hey Dog, don't forget that am still the most powerful miko in this land" Kikyo said, and Inuyasha grinned with an awe that glossed in his eyes.

"Are you threatening me?! The Heir to the throne of West?" Sesshomaru growled, whispers of dark angels filled the lone corridor, promising bloodsheds.

"Um, Yeah I think she just did" Inuyahsa answered and got his head smacked by his shorttempered brother.

"Now, if you both could just shut up, maybe we can finally look for Kagome and pull her away from her solitary confinement" The miko said and that line alone promptly put the heirs to slock their lips with so much might.

She knocked, once, twice and thrice before she pushed the large door to step in. The room was everything that screamed luxury, but it was as if there was a wounded flower in the middle of thorn, so beautiful, so lonely, yet a sense of relief fluttered to see that the petals are still standing.

The teenaged girl blinked her tears away, her eyes were red, wet and drenched. She turned around, to hide her miserable state but she knew it was of no use. The Heirs were demons of great senses and their lungs would have picked out the salty trail that swam in the air.

"Okay listen up, now, do you believe that I hold as much as power that you harbour?" Kikiyo asked, cutting straight to the subject. She wasn't the woman who would beat around the bush when the answer to so many riddles just lies there.

"What?" Kagome asked, clearly confused.

"Kagome, I am you incarnation and I do hold a much greater power than you do-" She started and ignored the chuchkle form the rude dog who thinks the world just revolves around him.

"- And I can prove that, but I don't want to freak you out by burning Sesshomaru's hair just by lifting a finger. There is another way to prove that I have the exact same sign and vibrations of your energy signals in mine, yet, it can be controlled and I have never hurt anyone unless the situation demands for it" Kikiyo said.

"How can you be so sure?" Kagome asked, her voice shivered and it almost cracked Sesshomaru's heart a bit further, like a rusty saw meddling with his chest.

"You remember the rosary beads in Inuyasha's neck?" She asked.

"Uh yeah"

"It works to the command of only you or the energy signals that is almost identical to yours." Kikiyo said, turning a bit towards the hanyou.

Inuyahsa was twirling the beads in his fingers when he caught the look dancing on her eyes.

"No.." He whispered, almost like a soft plea, muffled in the end.

"SIT BOY" Kikiyo uttered and there was a loud thud, the nose of the second heir to the Western Throne was buried in the cracks of heavily furnished floor and he gave out a yell, a whimper before his conical ears adjusted to the laughs in the room.

Kagome giggled and the boys in the room let out the breath they were holding. The relief was immediate on Sesshomaru's face, to see the smile in her lips, to see those lights shining in the depth of her eyes, her lashes fluttered, smudged with her pink cheeks and Sesshomaru was so sure that this was indeed the loveliest sound in his life., her giggles, he had missed them so much that it started to hurt, a deep pit was dug in his heart, like a grave and now it was all filled with her laughs, he felt content.

"So, as you see, my presence doesn't hurt him or anyone else and with regular guidance, you can control your anger and direct your powers to those that bring harm" Kikiyo said, and was almost proud to see the essence of pure delight having s free reign over the young girl's face.

"Thanks" She whispered, her voice too soft. Her gaze shifted from the miko to the young lord in white silk. He had a look of ease in his face, as if the weight in his shoulders were finally lifted by the descendants of heaven. But there was still a raw edge in his jaw, tensed and controlled. Kagome lifted her brows at him, a silent question that demanded an answer for his still existing brooding cloud.

He gave her a small smile, that died a minute later. His look was sharp, narrowed, filled with flickers of pain. He gave her a sharp nod that spoked volumes of his unhappy thoughts and turned, walking towards the mahogany doors to leave them all alone.

His footsteps were as light as it could be and he walked towards no particular direction, his gaze straight and unyielding, with no one to walk beside under the soft glow of silvery moon. He was happy, really, to see the colour in her cheeks, to witness her smile that brought some kind of glittery mist to his otherwise grey life. But he had always prided to be the one that she listens to. He had always been sure that he was the reason behind her shy smiles and the shine that swims in her eyes.

His pride has been hunted down and was killed. His heart cringed and he could see the beginning of long years, where he had to see her walk away from him once and for all. She proved yet again the tales of legends, that they all lean only towards their kind. Human towards human and demons towards demons.

He wanted to roar under the unfair skies, that glittered with burning stars, while he was left alone to pick up the broken pieces of his heart in the dark, yet he didn't, he was tired and so he knelt on the alcoves that bordered the royal corridor, waiting for the benevolent sleep to lull him in to a place of hope.

~.~.~

A/N – Sorry for the looooong break.

Thanks for the lovely reviews!

Sesshomaru is like a little girl sometimes! Always brooding.

Leave a comment~

Love you all..


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

She begs, she really begs even though she doesn't exactly know what she is begging for, maybe for that moment of peace, maybe for that phantom pf happiness that brushes away swiftly before she could grab on to it. It was as if she could never escape the blinding clutches of hell, as if there was no light left in the end of her tunnel

She feels as if everything is rushing with speed, fading away in to cluster of clouds and her fingers are constantly dancing in the wisp of air, searching desperately for some kind of magic anchor that would just pause or rewind her life, because she doesn't want to proceed any further without him, without the wings that held her in the sky.

And now, she is just falling, tumbling down from the highest point of her life. It pains, it aches as the reality seeps in, in to her skin, her bones, her heart, until there are no layers to sink in, until it reaches the center of her soul and it forms in to a tiny dot that promises to haunt her for the rest of her forever.

She cries a river and it still doesn't float her safe to the warm banks, no, it drowns her. She feels like a crumbled old piece of a paper, she no longer feels like a poetry, because she is just a page that no one wants to ink, because she feels as if she is torn.

She feels as if she walks in the grasses of thorn every time he takes a walk in the garden with _her_. She feels as if the universe has suddenly grown darker and colder, just to numb her whimpering heart, whenever he demands to have a sword training session with _her_ , whenever he says – 'Come miko, I am bored and I think I could sharpen my already impeccable fighting skills against your formidable holy powers'- for which the too goodly good miko gives him an eye roll, a smirk and flips her really, _really_ long hair.

Kagome had had enough.

She had enough of just turning around every corner of the castle to find someone, _everyone_ praising about –'Oh my goodness, I can sense her pure powers all the way from the eastern wing'.

Kagome had enough of biting her lip and turning away before anyone could see the threatening tears crawl all the way from the depth of her soul.

Stupid Kikiyo.

Stupid Kikiyo with great powers and really long hair that could apparently be used to sew the royal gowns for the Kings.

Because- 'Oh, isn't her hair just the finest silk'. Kagome had to run across her chambers to promptly puke, because the whole of the castle gushing out about the new ageless priestess was plainly sickening and nauseating.

And the worst was, Sesshomaru hasn't been the same. It's been weeks, months even, since he had had a decent conversation with her. He trains Shippo at the crack of the dawn, makes sure that Inuyasha gets in to heaps of trouble, takes a walk in his mother's gardens and trains with Kikiyo, before he retires back to his own private chambers to read the legends about his grand fathers.

It's been ages since their gazes have collided, ages since they have had their arguments about the laws of nature and universe. So, she pouts each night, refusing to go and demand an explanation, because she was afraid that she may end up crying, and she knew how much he hated the saltiness. _Maybe_ , she could just silently crawl inside his room and chop his hair off, but then she would be caught before she could even get away and _probably_ it would be the end of the whole world.

It would be a catastrophe, an apocalypse.

So, she drops her brilliant ideas and continues to stroll down the brazen corridors under the guide of moon and the stars. Her treacherous feet, of course, takes her to his chamber and she stands there, afraid to knock, afraid to stroll in like she usually does, afraid to find him writing poems about the sublime long hair of certain priestess whom she had begun to hate. It aches her heart in levels of ineffable twinge, because she doesn't understand, she doesn't begin to comprehend what was wrong with her, with _them._

It takes more than few minutes for her to realize that he would have sniffed her presence and would have opened the bronze door if he wants to. The door remained unopened, her lips started to quiver, the silk gown that she was draped in suddenly felt heavier, because, she wanted to just sit down and maybe cry.

And this time, instead of a river, she may cry an ocean.

So, she started to walk back towards her room, not once noticing that his door was indeed closed because he was in her chamber, replacing the candles that had melted, and dropping the soft petals of velvet flowers under her pillows so she could sleep through the night having a dream of spring, sunshine and blue skies.

But, no, she would not know all those little things that he _still_ does for her, because she believed that she was just a memory to him.

Kagome was just blind as such.

~.~.~.~

Her brooding thoughts weren't unnoticed by certain Lady who wished she could just intervene and make all the things right.

But, no, she would not dare to step in and take control. Not again, not after what she had once done. Inukimi was mad, mad at her mate for not ordering his son not to be stupid and mad at Kagome for being too ignorant.

Kikiyo was more like a match for her step son, Inuyasha. Inukimi could just see the sprouts of companionship between them and it nerved her that everyone else was just- _so_ blind. Besides, Kagome had grown a lot stronger under the guidance of Kikiyo, and there was absolutely no way for the Lady fo the West could hate the girl, it was all going perfectly well until Sesshomaru was tired of having his evenings spent idle.

It really wasn't his fault to have a well training sessions with someone who once belonged to an enemy clan.

She wished she could just make Sesshomaru jealous, just a little bit, to let him rekindle all those forgotten anger, all those rightful claims that he has on Kagome.

And then it hit her.

She knows she just can't step in and take the strings, because the fate wouldn't be so kind to her the second time. So, her eyes slides along, across the vast expanse of her furnished chamber, across her littering jewelry, until her gaze reached those of her husbands.

"Oh Darling.." She starts to sing.

~.~.~.~

She smiles as if she holds a secret, as if she carries a map to the dusted path of hidden treasure, as if the heavens have whispered to her all the answers to the question that the mortal world ever had.

She smiles.

And so he beams as if the Universe is suddenly a brighter place to live, he feels the feeling of content in the center of his chest, a small bubble of warmth spreads over his heart, tickles the corners of his skin, it spreads, like happiness, like joy.

And he rarely feels like this, so he duly ignores the shout of rationality when his wife smiled at him, as if she finally forgave him for the all the mistakes that he had once done.

"Yes?" Inutaisho answers, when his mate called for him.

"You know it's been quite some time…actually, it's been more than a year, since we had the alliance meeting with the Wolves." She says, her elegant silver brow raises and he swears it's the most beautiful art he had ever seen.

"Yes, I suppose, a meeting is long due. When do you suppose we could arrange for a meeting, maybe invite the whole lot of royal clan and have a tea?" Inutaish beams, his royal fur curling across his torso, plush and regal.

"A marvelous idea, my love. I will arrange for the meeting then, send invites in the finest silks, make fine arrangements for the wolf prince to stay for a day or two" She says and smiles again. As if the she had done something that is extremely satisfactory, as if she had finally figured out who had hung the glittering stars in the bleeding sky.

~.~.~.~.~

The skies had turned purple and it was speckled with star dusts, so vibrant, radiant. The moon was there, hanging low, floating and waiting to sing the lullabies.

It reminds her of him.

Her whole of universe narrows down to him, shrinking to the size of her personified definition of perfectness, just him and his silver locks, his small nearly unnoticeable smile, nothing else really matters, not even the tiny drops of heaven that starts to pour, not even the deep cracks of sky and definitely not the slow rumble of echoes across the expanse.

And Kagome knows, how stupid it is, to make someone her Sun, to make someone her only epitome of bliss, she knows it's dangerous, but the inferno in her heart purrs, glows in the dark, duly annihilates the doubts that lurks in the shadows.

The rhythmic beats against her chest are way too loud, like powerful crashes of waves against the grey rocks, eroding her soul, consuming her life.

She wants all those hours that they have spent bickering, all those ideas that they brainstorm to get Inuyasha pouty, because, it's their thing, it's their own personal world, where nothing else matters, where only their laughs will be heard in the corridors of the castle and where only the air and the drapes of silk that hides the Sun knows their secret places, their own corners, where they hide little treasures like a withered petal of forest flower, a fang of dragon, the broken glass of prism, the golden compass that they store from one of the guards, the little lens that the rude minister uses to study.

And now, with her new found ability to fire away mean demons, she had lost the one thing that she had held dearer than her life.

Or, she thinks she had lost. Because, Kagome was still in shadows and her world wasn't bright enough to make her understand that he hides away because he thinks she no longer needs him.

The fate is cruel like that.

There must be something, anything written in the laws of Universe, maybe just a small scribble in the corners if age old rusting page, there must be a golden rule bookmarked with the fallen feathers is the angels, that no man should ever look ethereal under the paint of the moon, no man should ever have eye lashes that are curved, long and sinful like he has.

But, there isn't, there isn't any quirk that is inked in the ancient pages tied together in the Demon's book of forbidden delicacies. Not even a small smudge.

She stands still, hypnotized under the silvery kiss of the moon, starring across the olive sheen of small meadow at the windows of his chamber, imagining the way his eyes would shine in the dark, the diluted shade of mustard, gold and hickory, all mixed and added with shines from the corners of Universe.

If she could, she would go around and carve his name in every stone that is worth to be treasured, if she could, she would yell his name out in the skies, sing sonnets about his cinnamon dipped irises to the stars, so they could all twinkle a bit harder, attempt to shine a bit brighter, to compete.

If she could, she would immortalize his rare smile and would release it to the world during the dark days, so they can all soak in those pure sunshine and bliss. If she could, Kagome would finally crawl, walk, and run towards him, pour her heart out and show the scars that is imbedded in her soul.

If she could, she would tell him stories and stories of all those dreams about walking along the edges of the seas, hand in hand, under the strokes of rainbows, about those dreams that seems so real at times that she refused to wake up, that there were days where she hated the Sun for having shown up bright and chased the moon.

If she could, she would. But Kagome is confused, over whelmed with all this need to just see him and talk to him. So she hides away, like the moon, under the shadows, willing to just fade away in the air, wishing she had all those perfect words and magic spells to just let him know that she is just a blank page without him, that she is just a mutilated bird, without wings to fly, that she is just a grey crevice without the fill of any hue, that she is almost just a shell.

~.~.~.~.~

It was already dawn and the Heir to the West had a sleepless night. He tried to re write the strategic battle plans, the lessons that had tattooed itself in his bones, but it wasn't enough. His mind always drifted back to her smile and her giggles, the sound that he lately hasn't heard, at all.

So, he stayed in his room, behind the royal doors, skipping his lessons and court rooms, unaware that the evening that strolled by would be a time of test, a time that would test his patience.

He was really not prepared to see her in his mother's garden's, picking up roses, lilies and all those wild blooms that were put to shame instantly next to her blossoming eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Sesshomaru asked, before he could stop himself, before he could curl his tongue and swallow all the words that danced in the tip of his lips.

And she blinked, as if the moment was surreal, as if she was testing her brains, looking in to the corners of her mind to analyze whether it was a dream or a reality.

"Um, the Lady told me to pick up the flowers, because, we are expecting some guests for the tea and she needs the petals to scent the rooms and to decorate." She says, rushed, excited and blushed. Her voice reaches out to him, rings in his ears, floods his brain, his fibers, his bones, his very being, because, its been days since he had heard her talk, since he had marveled at her beautiful voice.

She looked like autumn under the crispy yellow of the midday Sun, bright, bold and warm, ready to bring any foe to his knee and grace him with words of silent destruction. Because, she shines like that, speckled with huge magnitudes of joy, elated with sprouts of spring and warm as a home brewed coffee. She is a worshipped ornate in his life, a poem in his heart and looked at her as if she is a drop from the wines of Gods, as if she is a missing piece of heaven itself.

Maybe she is, in his eyes.

And so, he stares at her, unable to look away, because, she is an elixir of purity, unadulterated warmth, gift wrapped with love. She is a cocktail of labyrinth and alloys of riddles.

She is like that, her smile having the magic beans that could splatter, splash and paint the whole of galaxy in to what could possibly be defined as purest joy.

"I hope you enjoyed your session with Kikiyo, I hope it was fruitful" She says and the silver haired demon could practically taste the bitterness that leaves a trail in her lips. He frowns, because, it doesn't make sense.

Doesn't make _any_ sense.

Because, isn't the miko the _one_ who chased away all the doubts that _his_ Kagome had, the one who made her giggle, like he once used to.

The one who replaced him in her life?

"Yes" He answerd. A little irritated that even their little conversation includes the miko. It nerved him that his brother was already smitten with the ageless priestess, his subjects were already drowned by her illusion of superiority.

And he hated the fact that Kagome was constantly compared to her. Doesn't anyone know that his Kagome was different? More resplendent? More cheerful and shining?

She was a wild flower among the home grown lilies, more of a neon pink among the subtle corals, a snowflake in the land of dessert, never to fit in, never to bow and be ruled. It was that spark, that rebel inside her that had anchored his soul.

And so, he was left wordless when he saw her shrinking away, as if waiting to erase her existence. It pained him to see that her eyes had a mist, it pained him to see her force a smile, as if it was okay for her to hold a façade in front of him.

It was all wrong.

It felt too wrong.

It left him confused, blinded him in a haze and when he looked again, she was already gone, with basket full of warm flowers, leaving his heart mangled in the thorns.

~.~.~

A/n : I know its sappy! But it's okay, they are still teenagers and they are allowed to be hopelessly in love : )

Love you all !

Oh, and the next chapter – Jealous Sesshomaru! : )


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

No, never in his limited existence did he ever think that there would be a situation where he would have to control his boiling anger so much, and that is something really remarkable when he has Inuyasha as a brother (he had of course, reached the level of anger where he had considered burning his half brother alive, but then, Sesshomaru had never _really_ reached a point where he had wanted to scream, stamp and skin alive every single being in the line of his vision). Now all he sees is iron red anger, the one that almost makes him blind with rage, as if the waves of fury had made his blood its permanent residence.

But then, there was never a situation before where Kagome had decided to be such a petty spoiled evil brat.

He had to hold his fur hard, so that it wouldn't unfurl in wrath, so that it wouldn't blister in annoyance, so that he wouldn't strike the wolf and act like it was completely an accident. Now, wouldn't that be just too wonderful?

The whole of Universe was plotting against him when the mother of his had decided to just drape her in the finest of red silk and satin, that hung a little dangerously in her neck, the small curve of her waist defined the dips that he could write sonnets about, when the flowers in his garden had been used to scent her, to wash her nails, to pin her hair in infinite curls that remined him of art and beauties of all the worlds. Those strands of black shimmered, waiting to be tangled and how he would like to twirl them with his digits, to caress them with the gentlest of touch, to remove all those pins that prisoned them.

And then the stars decided to shine brighter, showering her in their light and lucks, because, the fates loved to tease him, to send him over the edge, just to see how he would blast like millions of nebulas. Never had he seen her being this sarcastic. Her tongue was sharp and her wit rivaled his and it nerved him to the core that she was not even affected by his charm.

He even tried giving her 'the look' , and all she did was to smirk back, as if he had no reign over her, as if it was next to normal to look down his eyes and not to swoon.

He hated the wolves and all he wanted to do was to punch the mangy wolf in the face, because- he had the audacity to conjure a wild flower and tuck them in her hair –' they were born to cherish the ebony strands, my lady'. (The moon heir felt nauseating on hearing them) Sesshomaru had to bite his lip so that he wouldn't just scream in frustration and give out a curse that would put all the words of obscenities to a shame.

After the weird encounter with Kagome, where she had left him in a state of despair and deep thoughts, he had walked back to his chamber and called the miko to have a session of practice, to which the miko had downright refused to indulge him. Instead the ageless girl had decided to prance around the streets of their empire with Inuyasha.

It was well late in the evening when he heard a tap in his door. A message from his parents to join them in the gardens to attend a small party didn't sit well with him. And now his guts where on the roar sighing the same line again and again, 'I told you so'. He noted down with enough ferocity to never doubt his guts.

His father was in the middle of a strategy discussion and his mother was in the process of dealing with the lists of diplomatic policies with the Wolf Royalties. Usually, Sesshomaru loves to pitch in a point or two of his thoughts, because, he is brilliant like that with a talent of a natural strategist. But then, his mind had decided to go numb when his eyes had witnessed the pitiful attempt of the wolf prince wooing his Kagome. He decided to ignore the whole of the scene, but then Kagome had gone ahead and laughed at one of his silly jokes and it was a straight kick to his belly.

Because, his Kagome giggles only at his jokes. Not that the young heir makes much jokes, but she giggles at his curses, at his sprouting anger and at his general irritation towards the existence of Inuyasha.

And somehow, seeing her cheeks smudged against her lashes, seeing her eyes shining like that of a moon for the wolf prince made him want to paint the world in the pretty colour of dripping red.

"So Inutaisho, it seems like your girl has blossomed in to a wonderful woman." The Wolf King said, for which the Moon lord had a proud smile on his lips.

"Yes, isn't our Kagome lovely?"

"She is the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, my lord" Kouga confessed, taking her palm in to his and giving a slight squeeze, for which Kagome promptly blushed.

A tea cup shattered in to pieces.

"Oh, sorry, I knocked them down" Inukimi covered for the broken tea cup that was nowhere near her. It took her a minute to convince everyone that she had slipped and it had rolled over near Sesshomaru. (No one believed of course!)

Sesshomaru couldn't care less. His eyes that usually had the hues of gold and mustard had edges of raw scarlet, his fur curled under the silks of the table to claim a spot on Kagome's ankles, because, doesn't the universe know that she is his?

She had given a jump when a soft brush of his pelt had circled her ankle. Her heart almost whimpered, to feel something so achingly familiar after what felt like millions of decades. Her insides went goo and woosh, there was something inside her, swirling like magic, like music in the streams of her blood and she could almost hear the roar of her powers growing in the pit of her stomach, as in, it had finally found its nesting place, as if every part of her suddenly made sense.

She was scared. Scared to look in to eyes and to get lost in to them like countless number of times like before, scared to get too used to this new found feeling of serenity that was bleeding in her. But she did.

She looked in to his eyes.

The golden ones that had always smiled for her, the ones that had always been the source of comfort for her, the ones that looked too much like a Sun, the ones that she could never paint properly-because a colour like that never exists, a hue like that can never be purchased even from the most luxurious markets, because, his are rare, not too dark like his father's , brother's and not too light like his mother's.

And every time she had tried to mix the essences of golds, yellows to get his picture right, she had failed. Because, his eyes were perfect, an art by the angels, Gods and Goddesses that no amount of time, concentration and ability could just get them right.

Now, she felt there was something that was too wrong with his eyes, because, it looked tinted, specks of rust kissed its corners, the light in his irises were off, as if they had been drenched with something foreign, something with touches of pain, something that she wished she could wipe them away.

She felt warm, with the ends of softness caressing her calves, as if it was next to normal to have the touch. It should be normal for her, she had grown up with him, she had always been next to him, slept in the same bed for most of her nights, cuddling and suffocating him. The happiness in her chest was almost threatening to burst, as if someone had lit a firework inside her, it was all colours, joys and confetti.

And then the moment ended.

His pelt uncurled from her ankles.

She felt lost.

Empty.

Cold.

Alone.

"So, Kagome. What's your favourite colour?" Kouga asked.

 _Gold_. She wanted to say it. It was dancing in the tip of her tongue. _Gold_ , _like his eyes, the one that prisms under the mustard rays of the Sun, the ones that my poems are about, the ones that I dream at night, the ones that I wish would look at me differently, the ones that I try so hard to get it right and fail every single time.'_

"Blue" She whispered instead.

"Oh, the colour of your eyes, my son" The wolf Queen gushed.

Another tea cup went to it early demise, and this time no one came to his rescue.

"Why Blue?" Sesshomaru asked and everyone looked up from the china pieces that was littered in the ground.

"Because, it is the colour of the sky. The one that is constant, the one that never change for million years"

"Oh, and why not black, the colour of night, the one that is constant, the one that never change for million years to come" The heir asked back.

"Huh, should there be a reason to hold something as favorite?" She asked, unable to defend her previous answer. Because, she indeed loved the colour of the sky, not the one that blushed azure, but the one that was bathed with golden waves of Tuscan sun, the one that lulled the Sun in the evening, the one that waits for the gold to set in, the one that welcomes the angel of the night, the one that swallows the fire ball and sprouts tiny glitters of gold, the evening sky that bled hazel and bronze.

"Of course. There must be a rational reason as to why something else is preferred over the other" He said, his tone sharp as ever.

She did have a rational reason, but of course, she can't say that out loud, can she?

"Well, I happen to like them without any reason" She retorted back, lied with an ease, praying that the demons wouldn't just sniff the bluff that danced in the tips of her tongue.

"You have changed a lot Kagome" He said, his eyes narrowing in the slit, believing her words, not using his senses to pick her lies that seemed to have hidden like thorns in the reds of the roses, like the blues among the blushes of violets.

"I wonder what made me to change" she whispered and it tingled the corners of his ears, like a sound that lingered in the back of his mind.

"And here I thought you liked things that were constant" he said back with a force that made her jerk back.

Because, no- she thought that he pushed her away because of Kikiyo, and shouldn't she be the one dancing in anger, shouldn't she be the one to belittle his choices. She looked at him, for real this time, without any inhibitions, without any insecurities, without any sense of cowardice, she looked at him, the way his brows were dipped down in a concentration, in an unspoked fury, his eyes were still tinted and too real, too gold under the lights of the sky. And in the clear sheen of his eyes, she could see herself looking in to him in an utter confusion, in a way that demands a solution, in a way that said she was lost and that she needed him to find her.

She was speechless, frozen, in a state of utter despair as she stared back in to his eyes, because if she looked away from the eyes that served as her anchor, she would float along the air. Because, he was someone whose eyes had the glimmer to swoon the whole of galaxy, whose hair could be crowned with halos of stars, whose lips painted all of the roses and whose cheeks could be in the line of rival with caramel.

Because he had silver curls that could be disheveled and it would still be an art worth marveling about. He had the smile that could end wars, his laughs were too rare, too deep, like a slow rumble of skies that scatters billions of rainbows.

All he had to do was to look at her, his gaze, his lashes and his stare alone could tumble her down, could braid her soul with his and could pin her with an unfathomable force of bliss that felt like flutters of butterflies in the ring of her navel.

Because, he was the one that looked after her when the lights were nowhere to be found, he was her anchor, her solid earth, her sense of meaning when she was lost, when she had no one to disturb he would come home to her, to make her smile, to make her giggle like a wild child, and she knew her eyes would have glittered like the littered glasses under the shines of candles whenever he rolls his eyes to one of her silly narrations. She was his and he was hers. It was an unspoken prophesy and she was never the one to question the acts of destinies.

She could hear the soft talks that were going around them, but it made no sense, no sense at all, because, his eyes were still too intense, refusing to budge even an inch away. It sickened her, in a way she had never felt before and a tiny voice from somewhere within her whispered, 'Maybe things haven't really changed' . The realization left her shaken and she wanted to talk, to ask what really went wrong with them, but she knew he was in the pool of anger.

He still had his gaze on her, the one that spoke volumes and she couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't just _talked_ about the things that seemed to happen, why did they just turn their head away when they should have opened up about what was bothering each other? It seems silly now, all the heart aches and tears, all the curses that she had given to the skies, to the stars and to the moon for making them distant.

She was lost in her thought, never noticing that Kouga had moved forward and draped his long tail around her waist.

She heard a hiss, a growl and surprisingly it wasn't from Sesshoamru.

~.~.~.~.~.~

A/n: Thanks for honest reviews : )

Love you all 😊


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

There was a slow rumble from across the expanse, the growl defined fierceness, an anger that could transcend the depths of fire hell, vibrating the trees and echoing with a force. It was something that no one expected, not even Sesshomaru. Because, _no_ _one_ had ever witnessed the red anger that the little fox could harbor, it was as if the whole of Earth was shaking with a cause, a well justified reason, it was as if the heavens could roar in a fury that could only mean one thing, an apocalypse.

Something akin to pride swelled in Sesshomaru's chest, nestling somewhere beneath his heart, soaring his already pumped heart. A sense of happiness surged and it certainly had _nothing_ to do with the little shock of shudder that the wolf prince gave out.

The growl, it was a shout of possessiveness, a mark of territory, something that the demons would honor and never dream of breaking it. It was only obvious, that Shippo looks at Kagome as his mother and Sesshomaru as his father. Anyone else, who isn't a friend, is off limits and under Shippo's nose, the wolf clan was definitely not a friend of the castle.

"Hm, Lord Inutaisho, why is there a little fox groveling at us?" The Wolf King asked, his eyes widening at the small stance that Shippo exhibited, his tail already curled and well tucked.

"Oh, hmm., that's our grandson" Inukimi rushed in, before her husband could ruin whatever good that was happening. She thanked her fates and the impeccable timing, and never simmered her grin that was etched wildly in her face when she saw the wolf prince's jaw wide open.

"Yes, he is Shippo, _my_ Shippo" Kagome piped in, and Sesshomaru could only look at her and fall hard for her naivety. She never understood that the growl meant something else, a symbol of family and no one else could pave in, without a cause.

He gave a silent sigh, because, under the mustard pilfered rays, among the petals of roses, lilies and orchids, she looked like a legendary nymph, the one that is marveled in stories of their woven books, the one who is praised for an immortal beauty, the one who is defined as an epitome of purity and divinity. He could only stare, at her open arms, an invitation to give a nuzzle to their adopted son, who is currently devouring all the sweets and rubbing his cheeks against hers, as if he hadn't turned all the events upside down.

"Um, I think it's best to leave, _now_ " The Wolf Queen demanded, giving an annoyed curtsy to Inukimi, who mirrored the same. The treaty among their kingdoms was signed well before, and being the families of royal, neither would break their word and paint a blood in their insignia. The reason for the evening invite was suddenly well highlighted, it is a show, that the human was not available for courting, a well plotted play to make sure that the word travels around the world.

"Oh, Okay." Kagome blinked and gave a small polite smile. Kouga stammered, unable to digest the events and moved away with the furry tail between his legs. Her line of vision was still on the wolf clan, as they hurried across the freshly lawned earth, as they turned to give one last lingering look towards the royal family and the red baby that giggled, nuzzling in her arms.

Sesshomaru finally gave a small smirk, something that was all the more rare, something that made Inukimi to look smug, something that _almost_ missed Kagome's eyes.

"Well, Kagome, it seems that the fox is all but trouble. I almost thought that we could tie knots with the wolf family." Inutaisho pitched in, giving a sigh and earning a look of pure irritation from his mate.

The human in question blushed, turning red under the pale lulling sky, biting her lip. However, she never really thought that Sesshomaru would give out an involuntary tiny growl, the one that made her gasp and the one that made the Lord's ear tingle.

The one that finally rang a bell in the Western Lord's thoughts

~.~.~.~

It was when the moon had lit up the night's sky, the stars whispered some ounce of sense to the demon lord. He sat on his well cushioned chair, twirling on a single strand of silver in his finger, taking in long breaths that were uncalled for, thinking about the turn of events, making sure to remember all those signs that he had brushed it off as a mark of friendship.

It was like this, Inukimi found him, reminiscing over something that made him restless and she prayed to heavens above that the thought was really _something_ that she had been hoping for a bit too long.

She graced their golden bed, dipping in the silk of sheets, her skin smooth and caramel under the beam of the night's luminance.

"My dear mate, why the serious face?" She called for him, her voice bouncing off the silent walls like a melody, her words had a tint of hope curled in it, a little of plea dripping in it.

"I never even gave it a thought. I didn't think it was really possible for Sesshomaru to fall in love in such a young age, to a human girl." He whispered and her whole body was flooded with relief.

Because, to finally have someone to see what exactly their son was going through, to have someone to understand her little plots was akin to joy.

"Finally. What gave it away?" She asked, mocking him, remembering the one of many arguments they had on the night of Kagome's ball, the one where he had a look of smugness when he said he knows his son better than anyone else.

"I knew he cared about her. We all do, she is an angel, a blessing in our family. But.." he dragged the sentence, as if his words doesn't make any sense even to him, as if it seemed impossible for missing the whole of the point completely these many days.

"And you aren't happy about that?" She asked, starring at her mate's troubled fate. She never thought he would have a problem with it, with Sesshomaru mating with Kagome. It never occurred to her before, that maybe, as a father he would be delighted, but as a king, as a leader of his clan, he wouldn't be. He needed a strong bloodline to continue, that one that is of pure breed.

"It's not that. It's just I couldn't believe that I was unaware of my own Son's heart. What if a prospective prince had claimed her heart that evening, and what if I had given my consent?." He worried over something that was buried in past, over something that didn't happen, fortunately.

"Taisho, let's be grateful then, stop worrying" She pushed the worry line that danced in his head, cradling his face, brushing aside the frown that creeped from nowhere.

"Are they aware if it?" He asked, musing over the hanging question finally. She knew that as a King, her mate was brilliant but when it comes to significant matters like this, the males lacked all the strategies and obviousness that was sitting across them.

"Taisho, how long did _we_ take it to understand that our marriage was more than just a convenient alliance set up by our families. How long it took for you to accept the fact that there was something more than just a spark between us?" She asked, her brow raised in a perfect arch and he shook his head, reliving the memories that they shared.

"Hm, true indeed. Do you think that maybe you can talk about it to them?" The Demon lord asked, pacing around the room.

"I would, but they are in their prime, an age that demands them to rebel against whatever we tell them to do, so, if we pull them together, they are going to push away from each other" She insisted, proving yet another point.

"What would we do? I have to come up with valid reasons if I have to order a "no" to anyone who walks in and asks for Kagome's hand"

"Let's just hope that our kids would finally put aside their egos and speak out their hearts" The Lady of the West said, she has done her best, to stop the possible suitors to march in. She sighed again, wishing for a millionth time that she didn't have to deal with whatever mess that her son and Kagome were going to create.

~.~.~.~.~

She was walking in circles, in the brazen corridors, pacing across all the draped alcoves, thinking about all the events of the day.

She was in the middle of chewing her sharpened nails when she heard delicate footsteps echoing across the abyss. She shouldn't have been surprised to see the miko in all her white glory, her strands in a light knot, swaying over her waist, ruffling through the air as if she was the goddess from above.

"Kagome" She gave a nod and proceeded to walk past her, but then, something in the ether stirred and Kikiyo turned around to see the young girl lost in her thoughts.

"I can see that something is troubling you" She said, her voice too soft, a scratch of velvet and satin, floating in the dense air.

"Nothing that _you_ can help with" Kagome said back, her face still turned towards the moon, hoping for a whisper of answers for all the unasked questions that rippled in the tip of her tongue.

"Hm, try me." She said, a look of challenge flashed over her eyes, glinting under the jeweled sky.

"I am not in the mood to fight over this, my heart is heavy and my eyes keep watering on their own and I get this lamenting aura around me. I think I will just go and sleep" She sighed, praying that the miko would _finally_ leave her alone. The last thing she wanted to ask is whether Sesshomaru talks about her.

So.

"I can sense that whatever is troubling you, is altering your power and if you don't have a clear head, it is going to cost a lot more" Kikiyo said, not budging when Kagome stared back. It was like a battle of wills and eyes, seeing who would back down first.

Both had the heart of a warrior and neither of them willed to back down. The minutes rolled by and their gazes were in constant clash, as if one of them would burn a hole over the other.

It wasn't until they heard a small sigh from the other that made them to look over. Sesshomaru had his hair down, his silver mass reaching the floor almost, his fur curling across, waiting for its master's command patiently.

He stared at _her,_ wondering if her lashes hold any uncomposed symphonies, whether she could see through his armored chest through his insignia, the heart that beats for her rhythm. He could defeat a million demons with a flip of his palm, but then, when it comes to Kagome, he feels as if all he could do is to surrender, to tell her all those words that the poets rambles off, to just let her know that she is an art.

But then, he never does.

So, he started walking in the nights, asking the moon about the stars, waiting for the answer, waiting for anything that would just take him mind off her.

He never thought that he would stumble upon her, sniffing the confusion and doubts lurking in her aura, a tinge of sadness penetrating in the air, too thick, that it seemed as if she had been dwelling in sadnesss for far too long.

How did he even miss it? The heart of hers skipped a beat and he could hear them flutter in her ribs, as if she is excited to see him. Maybe, she just loved the night so much, to catch all the stars singing for her.

"Sesshomaru" The miko heads in, a nod was sent as an acknowledgement.

"What are you doing here?" He leaves the question in the air, directing to both.

"Um, I just couldn't sleep" Kagome mumbled and it was then he noticed the purple bags under her eyes.

"Why?" He asked.

"Uh, the- Um, it's just" She tried, tried so hard to tell him that she missed him so much, to tell him that she would want nothing more than to train with him, to sneak out together, to have their little adventures _because_ , without him, she is not herself and she felt as if she is just a shell, a sketch with no colours, an outline.

Kikiyo could see their struggle. It was too blatant, the inner tug of war that their hearts were having. The whole of sky felt as if it was lamenting for them. So, she scoffed.

"What's so funny, miko?" Sesshomaru questioned, his voice having the required and deserved bitterness floating.

"It is not often that I see brilliant people act so foolishly. But then, loves does that to all" She whispered and walked away, almost floating in the air itself, with footsteps that could barely be heard.

"Um., I have to go" Kagome flushed and rushed away, tagging behind Kikiyo, her eyes, bit too wide and panicked.

Sesshomaru sighed and continued his walking, wishing that he could fetch some words out in thin air that would swim its way to Kagome's ear.

'Wait. What?'

He suddenly stopped, his heart beating hard, his fur already bristling in the ends, his palm twitching.

"What did the miko say?" He asked himself, out loud and he knew he must look pathetic, talking to himself and was too glad that his brother was nowhere near to witness him being vulnerable.

But, really. He repeated the question only to find the answer hanging in front of him.

"Did the miko say 'love'?" He asked again – to no one in particular.

"I think she did" A voice comes in and he turned so fast, with no time to even remember to regret being off guard.

"Miroku"

"Lord Sesshomaru, my greetings." The young boy said, the smile little too wide in his face.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his brow furrowed- because, does no one _ever_ sleep in the night anymore?

"Oh, I was just coming from library, my lord, and then I came across you speaking with them. She did say 'love does that to them'" He repeated with a tint of smirk in the end.

"Shut up" Sesshomaru scowled.

"Are you blushing my lord?" Miroku goes ahead and asked.

"I am _most_ certainly not" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, a pitiful attempt to regain his pride that seemed to have dissolved like a phantom.

"But, my lord, your cheeks are all little darker" Miroku said, taking a step forward to inspect them.

"Stay away, you imbecile" Sesshomaru lashed out for which Miroku just rolled his eyes.

"So, are you in love with Lady Kagome? I am sure she is" He whisperd.

"She is?" Sesshomaru, asked stunned. Because, suddenly, it was as if the moon got a whole lot inch bigger, it was as if the stars were kissing them with all the lucks.

"Oh, I don't know. But, I most certainly _now_ know that you are in love with her." He smirked and Sesshomaru bit his tongue. He should just kill the stupid kid and feed them to the wolves.

"Shut up and know your place, young Miroku" His voice had the authority but it did next to nothing to simmer the glow in the boy's face.

' _Oh god, I lost my touch of intimidation_ ' _,_ he thinks, biting down his tongue.

"I do know my place. So, now that we established that you are in love-"

"We didn't establish anything" Sesshomaru cuts in.

"-do you think, that maybe Kagome is in love too?" Miroku asked as if he was never interrupted and Sesshomaru sighed.

"I.. I honestly don't know" Sesshomaru gives in. A good warrior should know when to give up – Lesson number 36 of battle strategies.

"hmm, maybe I should ask her"

"You WILL DO NO SUCH THING" Sesshomaru boomed, his cheeks tinted again and he most certainly shrieked, but he will deny it later.

"Oh, imagine your babies, maybe they would have Inuyasha's ears" He whispered.

"I thing I am going to be sick" Sesshomaru whispered.

"No, Miroku, my ears are rather unique and no one, I repeat no one would ever have my ears" Came in Inuyasha from one of the alcoves.

And Sesshomaru stood there, dumbstruck, cursing his senses, cursing his weakness and cursing the whole night, because- the Gods hated him and he could just die now in humiliation,

"Whatever got your tongue, brother" Inuyasha smirked and Sesshomaru wanted nothing more than to wipe that grin of his stupid brother's face.

"Shut up" He settled with that.

"So, what are we going to do? Do you know to compose some poems Sesshomaru? Huh?" He asked, his voice too brash and a bit too squeaky. (Puberty)

"Lower your voice" Sesshomaru sush-ed him, his anger already itching his palm and the palace walls certainely needed some decorations, maybe red, with Inuyasha's blood.

"Oh, my Kagome

Doth thee know,

That my heart beats for you.

Oh, my Kagome,

Look at my pretty hair

I would shave them for you

Make a pretty dress

Sewed with my tress

Oh my Kagome.."

Inuyahsa rambled off.

"SHUT UP" Sesshomaru promptly shouted, ignoring the hotness that reigned in his cheeks.

"MAKE ME" Inuyasha yelled.

"I WILL" Sessomaru said, his palms raising.

"BOYS!" Inutaisho came in from nowhere.

And Sesshomaru chokes, _because, what the hell is wrong with his senses today? Because- would no one ever sleeps in this goddamn palace?_

He sniffs the air again, waiting for anymore new voices.

"There is no one else" The Lord of the west confirms, rolling his eyes at his son.

"Nice poetry my son" He said, beaming to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru felt as if he could throw up, project vomit at the walls.

"Thank you papa" Inuyasha grinned back and Sesshomaru cursed his luck and his night, again.

He would never, ever roam the corridors again in the late night.

NEVER.

~.~.~

A/n : cheers! I'm so sorry for the late update.

Never will I do the same mistake again.

Hope you all liked it.

I hereby promise that the next chapter would be aimed in making Sesshomaru bite his tongue off, because, his family teaches him how to woo.

Hehe, I could mean like that! : )


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